Cardcaptor Wendy
by cecebeec
Summary: Wendy was an average girl and student. That is until she opens the book of Fiore and releases all the Fiore cards. Now she, Happy the Guardian Beast, her best friend Chelia, and rival Romeo have to collect all the cards before time runs out! Parodies the series Cardcaptor Sakura.
1. Chapter 1

Hello Fairy Tail fans!

Welcome to the first episode of Cardcaptor Wendy! This story mixes my favorite anime, Fairy Tail, with the mystical world of Cardcaptor Sakura. I hope you enjoy it! Please review and tell me what you liked.

Episode 1: Wendy and Mysterious Magic Book. Part 1

_Wendy looked up from where she was standing. In front of her was Kardia Cathedral. She watched as cards fluttered in the breeze around her. Next to her, was a flying blue cat? "Go ahead and capture that card, Wendy." It said. Wendy stood at the edge of the building and sprouted wings from her shoes. She took a leap and flew in the night sky._

RING! RING!

Wendy sat up from her bed, startled at the sudden noise. She looked around her bedroom for the source. Hastily she picked up her alarm clock.

"Oh it was just the alarm." She said, yawning.

_My name's Wendy Dragneel. I'm in the seventh grade. I go to Magnolia Middle School._

Wendy got out of bed and started getting dressed. She put on a black shirt with a white skirt. She also wore white laced socks and black buttoned shoes. She combed her blue hair and put a hat on top of it.

_My favorite subjects are Music and P.E. My least favorite subject is Math._

Wendy finished brushing her teeth and ran downstairs.

"Good morning!" She said , cheerfully.

"You sound like a dragon coming down the stairs." Natsu joked, sipping his coffee. Wendy frowned at this statement. "I do not sound like a dragon!" She yelled at him.

_This is my annoying older brother, Natsu. He's in eleventh grade at Fairy Tail High. He thinks he's funny but he's not._

"I guess you're right. You don't sound like a dragon coming downstairs, but a dragon all the time!" Natsu laughed at his joke and placed his coffee cup on an irritated Wendy's head.

"Breakfast is finished!" said a jolly voice. Wendy smiled. "Morning dad!" She said.

_That's my dad, Igneel. He's an archaeologist and loves to research on ancient times. He can also cook, clean, and sew._

Wendy gazed at a picture on the table. It was a lady with blue hair in a braided ponytail wearing a white dress. She was grinning in the photo.

_In case you're wondering, that's my mom, Grandine. She died when I was three years old, but I know that she's watching over me._

"Well eat up Wendy. You don't want to be late for school now." Igneel said, spooning eggs on her plate. Wendy nodded and started to eat.

"I've got to go. Football practice is this morning." Natsu said, finishing his cup of coffee. He grabbed his schoolbag and walked out the door. Wendy gasped and ate her breakfast, rapidly.

"Bye Dad I've got to go!" She said, putting on her skates. They were blue with silver streaks. Igneel chuckled and opened the gate for her. "Hurry up so you can catch up with your brother!" He called, after her.

Wendy skated down the sidewalk and hummed to herself. She found herself skating through an archway of cherry blossom trees. Wendy gasped and spun around, watching the petals fall. "So pretty! I wonder if he'll be there." She said to herself. She caught up with Natsu, who was on his red bike.

"Thought you wouldn't make it dragon." Natsu said. "For the last time, I'm not a dragon." Wendy replied, angrily. "Hey look there's Jellal." Natsu said. Wendy started to blush. Jellal waved at them and smiled. He had nice blue hair and a red mark over his eye. He wore the same uniform as Natsu; blue collared shirt with black dress pants.

_That's Jellal, he's one of Natsu's friends. They have the same classes together. Unlike my brother, Jellal is nice, caring, and so cute!_

"What's up Jellal?" Natsu said, high fiving him. "Well good morning to you too, Nastu. Hey Wendy you're up early today." He said, looking at Wendy. "Yep I am early." She replied. "I wonder why?" Natsu grumbled. Wendy kicked him on the leg. "Anyway we better get going." Jellal said. He mounted his bike and followed Natsu. Wendy skated alongside Jellal and kept blushing. "See you later Wendy." Jellal said when they finally reached her school. "Bye guys!" Wendy said to them. She watched them ride out of sight and sighed.

"So what are you going to do for your special project, Wendy? I'm doing the life of a seventh grade girl!" Wendy's friend, Chelia said. They were in the locker room putting some stuff away. Wendy smiled.

_This is Chelia, my very best friend. She pretty, smart, and the daughter of a very rich company. She likes to videotape things she sees and make documentaries. Her last year project got top marks!_

"I have no clue what to do this year." Wendy admitted. Chelia laughed and stood next to Wendy. "Mind if I record your daily activities?" She asked. "Only if you mind my boring life." Wendy said. "Great I'll bring my camcorder tomorrow!" Chelia said, running up the steps to class.

The class was so boring. The teacher was reading something on Ancient Egypt, but Wendy hardly paid any attention. She was doodling in her notebook. It was the strange cat in her dream. _I wonder what that dream was trying to tell me? Who is this mysterious cat? _

"Nice kitty Wendy." Chelia whispered next to her. Wendy blushed and nodded at her. "Miss Dragneel, please finish where we left of." The teacher said. Wendy blinked, but got up out of seat. "We're on line 48." Chelia whispered. "Thanks." She whispered back.

Later at cheerleading practice, Wendy performed a perfect backflip. The whole team clapped and cheered. "Thank you Miss Wendy. Now let's practice our baton twirling." The coach said. Wendy twirled her baton and kept thinking about her dream. _What was that dream about anyways? Is it a premonition or something? _Wendy was too busy thinking that she missed the baton. It bonked her in the head. The team watched her fail. "Wendy may be the best cheerleader on the team, but she is so clumsy." Someone said.

"I'm home!" Wendy yelled as she entered her house. She took off her shoes and walked down the corridor. "Dad? Natsu? I guess they aren't home." She said. Just then, there was a rustle coming from the basement library. Wendy shivered and cautiously walked down the stairs to the basement. "Hello is anyone down here?" She called.

The rustling noise grew louder as she went deeper in the library. She noticed a faint glow coming from the other end. She ran down the hallway. On a table was a glowing book. "The glowing light was a book?" She said, picking it up and examining it. It was red with golden letters that read _The Book of Fiore. _"Wonder what's inside?" Wendy said. She opened the book and found a deck of cards. They were really old and had pictures on them. Wendy picked the first one off the top. "The Wind Card." She read. The picture showed a girl that looked like Wendy, but with white hair and silver wings. "This book only has cards in it?" Wendy said, still looking at the Windy card. Suddenly, the card glowed a light blue and a magical circle appeared under Wendy. "What's going on?" Wendy shouted. A small tornado whipped around the circle. Wendy averted her eyes and clutched the book tighter. She heard a flapping noise and saw the cards getting picked up by the tornado. They circled her for a second and took off in different directions.

The wind finally died down and Wendy was still in shock. She looked at the card in her hand. _Did I conjure something like that? _She thought. The book glowed once more, causing Wendy to yelp in surprise. Coming from out of the book was a blue creature…no. A blue _cat _with white feathery wings. He hovered slightly over the book and opened his eyes.

"Hi there!" He said, happily. Wendy looked at him, eyes bulged. "Whhhho arrrre yyou?" She stammered. He smiled. "I'm Happy, the guardian of the Fiore Cards! And you are?"

Wendy has gotten herself in a bit of a mess. What will happen next? Tune in next time for another episode of Cardcaptor Wendy!


	2. Chapter 1 Part 2

Hello Fairy Tail fans!

Welcome to part 2 of Cardcaptor Wendy! Thank you for all your reviews, favorites, and follows. I want to list them out…

Thanks to CreamyWhipped, RainbowFire, and animegamernerd15 for favoriting and following.

And thanks to Pie11644, Guest, and Zeref'ssister foe reviewing.

Thanks for your support!

And now for part 2!

Wendy and the mysterious book part 2

"I'm Happy, guardian of the Fiore Cards! And you are?"

Wendy stared blankly at the talking flying blue cat in front of her. She was still stunned and shocked from what happened previously.

"Well aren't you going to tell me your name?" Happy asked again.

Suddenly, Wendy seized him and started shaking him.

"Alright where's the batteries? Or some sort of switch?" Wendy said.

"I'm alive for real!" Happy yelled, coming out of her grasp.

He flew to the book and pointed at it.

"You broke the seal on my book. Like I said, I guard these cards."

Happy opened the book, only to find it completely empty!

"Ahhh! Where are the cards?" Happy panicked, flailing his arms wildly.

Wendy pulled the Windy card from her pocket and tapped his shoulder.

"You mean this card?" Wendy asked.

Happy's face lit up. "Yes you have the Windy card!" He placed it back into the card holder.

"Okay where's the rest?" Happy asked Wendy.

"Well you see, I opened the book." Wendy started to say.

"Uh huh." Happy nodded.

"I took out the Windy card."

"Go on."

"Something happened and a tornado blew inside the house."

"Yes and?"

"All the cards sort of blew away." Wendy laughed nervously.

Happy's face went from understanding to mortal shock.

"YOU LOST ALL THE CARDS!"

Wendy gulped down her dinner rapidly, spilling rice all over the place.

"Slow down or you'll choke." Natsu said, taking another bite of his curried rice.

"I'm finished!" Wendy said, putting her dishes in the sink. She opened the refrigerator and took out two puddings. Then she ran up the stairs.

"Where are you taking those?" Natsu called after her.

"I'm eating my dessert upstairs!" Wendy called back.

Natsu frowned slightly. Wendy didn't usually eat desserts in her room. This was peculiar behavior.

More importantly one of those puddings was his!

Happy was waiting for Wendy as she walked in. He was sulking on her desk next to the Book of Fiore.

"I'm back and I've brought pudding!" Wendy said, cheerfully. She placed one of the pudding dishes in front of Happy with a spoon.

"I've would've preferred fish, but this'll do." Happy said, taking a spoonful. He placed it in his mouth. "Yummy! Delicious!"

The two ate in silence for a while. Wendy decides to ask Happy a question. "What are the Fiore cards anyway?"

Happy slurped down another spoonful of pudding before answering.

"The Fiore cards were made by a powerful witch named Mavis Vermillion. She created the Fiore cards to help unify peace and harmony. But when the evil dark wizard, Zeref, heard about them, he wanted the power for himself. So Mavis put a protective seal on the Book of Fiore and placed the cards into it. Lastly she placed me and another guardian to protect the cards in her absence. Then Mavis died."

Wendy sat there, taking in everything that was said. Happy, seeing her reaction, flew over by her and patted her head.

"Since you were able to open the book, then you must have powers similar to Mavis herself. You must become the next cardcaptor and find all the cards of Fiore."

He took out a silver key thing and placed it in front of her.

"You never did tell me your name?" Happy pointed out.

"My name is Wendy Dragneel." Wendy said, eyeing the key.

"Wendy huh? Okay Wendy stand very still."

Wendy stood up and watched Happy.

"I, Happy the Guardian Beast, grant Wendy with the power of Fiore! I have chosen her to be the next cardcaptor. Release the power!" Happy chanted.

A blue magic circle appeared underneath Wendy's feet. The key gave a sudden jerk as it changed into a silver staff with a blue gem at the end.

"Take the key Wendy!" Happy said.

Wendy leaned forward and grasped the key. She felt immense power coursing through her body. Then the glowing stopped.

"That was cool." Wendy said, breathlessly.

"This pudding is tasty!" Happy exclaimed.

Later Wendy was putting on her pajamas as Happy jumped on her bed. Wendy wore a green and yellow pajama bottom and shirt. She was brushing her long blue hair.

"Wow that pudding hit the spot!" Happy laughed as he jumped higher.

"Careful Happy or you'll hurt yourself." Wendy said, tying her hair up in a long ponytail.

"Well if you didn't open the book, you wouldn't be in this situation." Happy teased.

Wendy scowled and threw her hairbrush at him. It missed to her disappointment.

Suddenly, the wind picked up and the house started to sway.

"What's with the wind?" Wendy said, unlatching her window.

She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming. A giant white bird was flying over her neighborhood!

"Um Happy is one of the Fiore cards a giant white bird?" Wendy asked.

"Yeah the Fly card why?" Happy said.

"Looks like I'm going to have to use that staff you gave me now."

Wendy first big capture is coming! Will she and Happy be able to capture the Fly card? Tune in next time on Cardcaptor Wendy!

Episode 2: Wendy's Wonderful Friend!

Please review to tell me what you liked!


	3. Chapter 2

Hey everybody!

Time to see the first capture of Cardcaptor Wendy! I stayed closed to the story, but added some Fairy Tail flair to it. Read on and enjoy!

Episode 2: Wendy's Wonderful Friend Part 1

"This looks like a job for Cardcaptor Wendy!" Happy said.

"That's great and all but why am I still in my pajamas?" Wendy asked.

They hurried outside Wendy on her roller skates with Happy flying next to her. They kept a watchful eye out on the big bird, as it flew over the neighborhood. Wendy felt a gust of wind as it blew her back. She squealed as her pajamas flew up a little.

"Wendy pay attention and capture that card!" Happy shouted.

"I can't do this. I never agreed to something like this." Wendy muttered. _I want to help Happy, but I didn't agree to this. I just want to be a normal girl. _

"Wendy watch out!" Happy said, snapping Wendy out of her thoughts. She screamed as the bird swooped down, trying to grab her. Luckily she zoomed out of the way on her roller skates. Losing her balance, she fell over.

"Happy I need help!" Wendy cried.

"Use your key. Summon it by using a chant." Happy informed her.

Wendy brought out the silver key from her pocket. She closed her eyes and felt the magic pulsing inside her. Then the blue circle appeared underneath her as she chanted.

"O Key of Fiore, which hides the powers of Light. I need your power to set things right. Show me the true power. RELEASE!"

The key grew longer into the silvery staff with the blue orb. Wendy grabbed it and twirled it in her hand. She faced the giant bird with a determined look on her face.

"So since the Fly card is attributed to the air, will the Windy card work against it?" Wendy asked Happy.

"Oh yeah that's what I was meaning to tell you! You are slightly connected to the Windy card so you can use a little bit of Sky magic yourself." Happy chuckled.

Wendy glared at him, her eyes glowing blue. "WOULDN'T THAT INFORMATION BEEN USEFUL WHEN YOU TURNED ME INTO A CARDCAPTOR?!' She yelled.

Happy sweat dropped. "Well you see I was thinking about fish and…"

Wendy rolled her eyes and brought out the Windy card. _I can feel its power flowing through me. I am Windy and she is me. Together we can bring down Fly. _Wendy opened her eyes to see the Fly bird coming at her. She raised her staff and brought it down on the card. It glowed white.

"Windy become a chain and tie Fly up!" She commanded. Mist streamed out of the card and took the form of a girl. She wrapped herself around Fly and caused him to falter. The bird fell down on the ground with a crash. It wailed and shrieked as it tried to break free.

"Wendy use your sky magic to keep it at bay." Happy said.

Wendy nodded and sucked in a large amount of air. Her cheeks puffed as she aimed towards the bird. "_Sky Dragon's Roar!" _A column of air spiraled towards the bird. It hit the bird with razor sharp winds. Wendy walked slowly towards the bird. She took staff and raised it over her head.

"Return to the card that you were meant to be in! FLY!" She put the tip of the staff on top of the bird and sucked it into a card. It fell to the ground. On the card, the white bird flew over a starry night.

"Nice going Wendy!" Happy said, patting her back.

Wendy felled to the ground, exhausted. "I thought I was going to die!" She wailed.

"Aye but you still captured the card. I couldn't be prouder for the Cardcaptor I scouted!"

"For the last time I don't want to be a Cardcaptor!"

Happy shrugged and picked up the Fly card. "Well you haven't tried out the Fly card yet. Go ahead and hit it with your staff."

Wendy sighed "Fine but this will be the last thing that I do. Fly card, I summon thee!"

Suddenly, white wings sprouted out of Wendy's back. She felt herself get pulled into the air. Wendy struggled to regain her balance. When she did she looked over the horizon. She was flying. It was like a dream as she floated in the night sky. She whooped while she did loop-the-loops and aerial cartwheels. She saw the lights of the city looking like specks. Her laughter rang out in the night.

"So I take it that you like the view?" Happy asked, floating leisurely beside her.

"It's amazing! I love it!" Wendy said back.

"I'll enjoy working with you, Cardcaptor Wendy!" Happy smiled.

"Yeah-hey! What do you mean by that? I didn't say I'd do this." Wendy said.

Happy looked smugly at her. This was going to be a long adventure.

**Meanwhile at Wendy's school…**

The school laid quiet as the night rolled on. A pink haired girl took this time to take videos of the night sky. _Coming to school after hours was just the thing I needed. It's peaceful and quiet. _Chelia thought to herself. The air grew colder and she shivered. "I guess I can pack it up for the night. I got a perfect nightscape scene for my movie." She said. She looked into the camera one more time and saw something flying in the sky. "Huh what's that?" She zoomed in on the figure in the sky, and then gasped. _Is that Wendy? How is she flying? And who is that with her? _She pressed the record button on her camera. _Now I've got the photographic evidence to show her._

Behind the school, multiple shadows came together. They clustered around each other and formed a body. He had black hair with long bangs coming over his eyes. He wore a black tunic and a black cape hung off his back. He looked at the shadows around him and started to absorb them. "Yes it's great to be back in my own body. I sense the new Cardcaptor has been chosen. I hope she is prepared to fight me." He sank back into the shadows. The back of his cape read _The Shadow, Rouge._

Wendy's first capture was a success! Now the next card has been revealed; the Shadow card. Will Wendy and Happy capture him? Find out next time on Cardcaptor Wendy.

Please review, I want to hear your favorite part. I'd love to hear your feedback. But refrain from flaming me.


	4. Chapter 2 Part 2

Hey everybody!

Time for a new chapter of Cardcaptor Wendy! Sorry I'm late, school is very time consuming. Thanks for all your reviews, I enjoy it when people like a story. Now its time for Happy to meet Chelia!

Wendy's Wonderful Friend Part 2

"Wendy?"

Wendy shifted in her covers slightly. Her eyes were closed as she continued to snooze.

Happy, however, was persistent.

"Wendy wake up!" He yelled louder.

"Five more minutes please." Wendy mumbled hitting Happy on the nose.

Happy took a deep breath as he patted his nose. "Who's the person who promised she'd get up at 7:00 like a normal teenager?" He said.

That woke Wendy up. Weakly, she opened her eyes and scanned the room. _Who's making that annoying sound? _She looked towards the T.V. _The television isn't on, so what made that noise? Wait a minute! _She turned slightly and saw Happy's smiling face.

"Aah! A talking plush flying cat!" She screamed. Startled, she sat up and fell right off the bed! Happy yelped and flew to her side.

"Do the words Cardcaptor Wendy ring a bell to you?" Happy said, eagerly.

"Oh yeah, you're the guardian of the Fiore cards!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Bingo! Give the girl a prize!" Happy sighed.

_Oh yeah that's right! Happy came out of the book of Fiore last night. He gave me a silver key that turns into a staff to catch card monsters. I caught the Fly card last night._

"It's a beautiful morning, Cardcaptor Wendy!" Happy said, watching Wendy put on her uniform.

"I've been saying I just can't be a Cardcaptor!" Wendy kept saying. But Happy ignored her and brought out the book. He grabbed the Fly card and took it out. "Don't be so humble! You're helping me out by doing this simple task. You'll do fine!"

Wendy ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. She sat down at the table, scarfing down her breakfast.

"Woah slow down dragon! We don't want you blowing fire everywhere." Natsu teased.

Wendy glared at him as Igneel walked into the kitchen. "So how's breakfast this morning?" He asked, taking a bit of Wendy's eggs. "Hmm…delicious! You made an excellent breakfast Natsu."

"Well, it's better than the dragon's," Natsu observed cheerfully, and then bit his lip to refrain from yelping out as Wendy brought her foot down atop his. Perplexed, Igneel looked at his son's pained expression, and Wendy hurried to distract him.

"Um…I'm going to finish my breakfast upstairs." Wendy said, taking her plate with her.

"School starts in five." Igneel called after her.

"I brought you some toast and eggs." Wendy said, putting the plate in front of Happy.

"Well, I'm gonna go now." Wendy said, getting her schoolbag.

"Where you going?" HAppy asked, watching her put on her hat.

"School. If I'm going to be a Cardcaptor, at least let me get an education first. Besides my dad and Natsu go to school too."

"Your dad goes to school?"

"He's a college professor at Magnolia University. He teaches history. Got to go, bye!" Wendy said, waving at him before leaving.

"Kids nowadays are so busy," he lectured through a mouthful of food. He smiled and gobbled down all the food. "Thanks for the food!" Happy called.

It was a completely empty classroom that Wendy walked into that morning, and she bounced happily to her desk. It was extremely rare that she was first to arrive, and it was nice to enjoy the peace and quiet. She was about to open her bag when the door slid open again and Chelia walked through.

"Wow you're here early today, Wendy!" Chelia commented pulling out her camcorder.

"Hey Chelia is that your new camcorder?" Wendy asked looking at it.

"Yeah and I was able to film something extremely amusing last night." Chelia flicked a switch and pressed a button, and the tiny screen lit up with an image of the crescent moon. Wendy felt a tremor go through her when she recognized two tiny figures flying across the screen. _Uh-oh._

"Is this some new movie or something?" Wendy stammered. Chelia just smiled and enlarged the picture. "Look familiar?" She giggled.

Wendy's face paled as she saw herself, in pajamas, flying on her wings. And flying next to her was Happy. She was so surprised that she shrieked and fell out of her chair.

"WENDY ARE YOU OKAY? WHERE'S THE CARD? CAPTURE IT QUICK!" Happy burst out of her bag, punching the air. Both Wendy and Chelia gave him shocked expressions and nobody spoke for a moment. Getting over her shock, Chelia checked here screen again, then looked back at Happy.

"Well this is a strange coincidence." She finally said.

At lunch, Wendy and Chelia found a remote location behind the school and ate there. Happy came out of Wendy's bag and ate lunch with them.

"Aye sir! This was the best lunch ever!" Happy said.

But Wendy wanted to know something. "Why did you come to school today with me?"

"Well I was bored and frankly, I wanted to see what you do on a daily bases." Wendy shook her head. What would convince him that she didn't want to be a Cardcaptor? For crying out loud, she was just a kid!

"So your name's Happy right?" Chelia asked, fascinated by the flying talking creature.

"Yeah and your Chelia, Wendy's best friend, she's told me _so_ much about you." Happy said, sarcastically. Wendy frowned and hit Happy over the head. _Stupid cat!_

"So you're the guardian of the Fiore cards? What are those exactly?" Chelia asked.

As Happy explained the Fiore cards to Chelia, some kids were playing soccer. While they were playing a sinister force was taking their shadows. He crept behind a tree and took his regular form. _That was a close one. There are so many shadows here in the daytime. But I can't help feeling that the new Cardcaptor is here right now._

"And so, Wendy became a Cardcaptor." Happy concluded. Chelia's eyes sparkled as he finished his summary. Wendy groaned and fell on the ground.

"That's wonderful!" Chelia enthused, paying no attention to the fallen Wendy. "The Cardcaptor that protects the city from the disasters of the Fiore Cards. That is so awesome!"

"I can't do something that important!"

"No, you can do it, Wendy-chan! If you don't mind, can you show me how you use your magic?"

"Yeah Wendy show her a bit of magic!" Happy egged.

Wendy sighed and brought out the silver key from her pocket. "O Key of Fiore, which hides the powers of Light. I need your power to set things right. Show me the true power. RELEASE!"

Just as it had the night before, it lengthened into a short staff, and Chelia clapped her hands with delight.

"You are able to use magic with this staff?" She inquired, gazing at the staff.

"Yeah, although I need a Card." Wendy said.

"Like this?" Happy suggested, holding up the Fly Card. Wendy bit back another groan.

"When did you -" Wendy started before seeing the sneaky smile on Happy's face. _I'll deal with you later. _She thought eyeing Happy.

"So, do you have a trademark pose yet?" Chelia asked.

"A what?" Wendy and Happy said in unison.

"Trademark poses and spells are the basic parts of being of a magical girl!" Chelia lectured enthusiastically, and Wendy whimpered. It seemed her friend was enjoying this more than anyone involved.

School ended, and students scattered in the courtyard to go home. The sun was low in the sky, their shadows stretching long across the ground below them. Thus no one even noticed when the shadows did not follow their owner's home that evening, but chose instead to slide across the grounds and retreat back into the school where a suspicious looking character stayed behind. "Yes I'm so close to retrieving my lost powers. Soon I'll be at full Shadow Dragon power again." Rouge said, quietly as he absorbed all the shadows.

The next morning Wendy skated into the courtyard after making Happy promise not to follow her to school. She said hi to passing classmates before stopping abruptly. She saw her fellow classmates in a crowd.

"Um…what's going on?" She asked someone.

"Oh hey Wendy, did you see the mystery message on the side of building?" The person replied.

Wendy shook her head but then looked up. Something was written on the side of the school building. She gasped as she read what was written.

**THE SHADOW CARD WILL RISE TONIGHT**

"The Shadow card?" Chelia asked coming beside Wendy. She shot Wendy a look of concern. Wendy nodded and gulped.

_This is definitely the work of a Fiore card._

Next Time: The Duel Among Dragons. Sky versus Shadow

Please review!


	5. Chapter 3

Hey everybody!

Sorry for the late update! I've been busy with other stories that I've forgot to update this one! I'm so sorry! But I have the update right here so enjoy!

The Duel Among Dragons. Sky versus Shadow

"That's done by a Fiore Card, all right," Happy evaluated.

The girls were having tea at Wendy's house after school and was discussing about the mysterious message on the side of the school building. Wendy's face paled whereas Chelia grinned.

"That's what I thought." Chelia proclaimed happily.

"It was such a hassle to straighten things up," Wendy grouched.

"But at least we didn't have any classes today." Chelia pointed out.

"Well, I was happy about that, but... but which Card would make a complete mess of our school?"

"Well, I don't know," Happy admitted, and she blew her bangs out of her eyes in frustration. "But in any case, it's time for the Cardcaptor!"

"I told you I don't want to do this!" Wendy shouted.

"And who was it that scattered the Cards away?" Happy reminded her. She flushed and looked away. "All right, we're going to the school tonight!"

"Tonight?" Wendy's head jerked up at that, and she crossed her arms in an emphatic gesture. "No, not at night."

"Why's that?" Chelia asked.

Wendy shivered. "Natsu told me a scary story once about a dragon who lurked within the shadows. He said his name was Skiadrum and he told me he haunts those who disregards shadows as nothing."

Both Happy and Chelia shivered at the thought of being haunted. Happy regained his composure quickly and smiled at Wendy.

"But there are some Cards that are only active at night." He explained.

"But it is true that the school at night can be a dangerous place," Chelia acknowledged. Wendy turned relieved eyes on her friend.

"Oh thank you Chelia!"

"Which is why I'm coming with you!" Wendy felt her soul exit her body as Chelia daydreamed about filming Wendy's bravery.

"All right," Happy cheered. "The three of us are gonna attack the school tonight!"

"If that is the case, there is a bigger need for us to come up with a trademark pose."

"Yeah! We'll start training now!"

"Why me!?" Wendy cried out.

* * *

Later…

The clock on the school tower read 9:00. Wendy shivered, although it was not particularly cold, as she gazed up at it through the bars of the school gate. It was so dark and quiet out; even the moonlight was intermittent thanks to the clouds sailing across the sky.

"I'm scared." Wendy whispered

"You're fine. I'm here with you!" Coming from a flying stuffed animal, the words were not altogether reassuring.

"I don't think I'll be fine." Wendy worried.

A pair of headlights shone through the area as a large white van parked itself next to the curb. Wendy shielded her eyes and saw Chelia hopping out of it.

"Hey Wendy! Sorry I'm late, but I had to pick up a few things." Chelia said. She opened the back of the van and Wendy saw tons of clothes hanging about the van. Shoe racks hung from the ceiling. And different accessories were in drawers.

"Did you rob a costume store or something?" Wendy gawked at all the clothes.

"Wendy, you're going to go capture a Fiore Card, right?" Chelia asked.

"Mhm."

"When you are doing special things, you must wear special clothes!"

"I totally agree!" Happy shouted, reemerging from her backpack. "If you don't go after them in clothes suitable for a Cardcaptor, you might lose the mental battle against the Card."

"I'm happy you understand how I feel," Chelia gushed, and took Happy's little paws in her hands.

"So go change!"

"I also have hats for each outfit."

The decision seemed to have been made for her, and Wendy felt outnumbered as she looked at their adamant faces.

"But -"

"Come on!" With surprising strength, Chelia snatched her wrist and pulled her in the van.

* * *

The end result was worse than anything Wendy could have wished for. By the time Chelia had raised her camera and started taping, Wendy was in a dark blue leotard that left her legs extremely bare, minus the knee high blue stockings. A vivid blue cape fastened around her neck, cloaking most of her body and covering her hair in a hood as well.

"You look lovely, Wendy."

"This is embarrassing!" Wendy complained.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about," Happy informed her, and Chelia nodded.

"That's right; I have something for you as well, Happy-chan."

"For me?" Sure enough, she produced a bow to be tied around his little neck, in a material that matched Wendy's cape perfectly.

"You match Wendy's outfit. Very cute."

"Aye sir!" He posed as Chelia giggled, filming his antics. Wendy scanned the area nervously. Right now was not the time to be joking around especially in the wee hours of the night. She was aware that something was watching her and whirled around, staff in hand.

"What was that noise just now?"

"Something wrong?" Happy hovered closer, following the direction of her rigid gaze, and then stiffened. "This is the presence of a Fiore Card." No sooner had she said those words did a blob of darkness shot at her. Wendy jumped out the way just in time as the blob shot back up in the air.

"Wendy," Chelia whispered, and pointed to the ground. She had noticed what Wendy had not. In the pale and weak moonlight, the blob substance fell limply across the concrete underneath their shadows. Far more important, they could see the shadow of person standing on top of the building. From what they could see, he was merged with the shadows.

"A shadow!" Happy shouted.

The figure loomed over them and said "_Shadow Dragon's Roar!"_

"Look out!" Wendy pushed herself and Chelia out of the way before the attack could hit them. "Happy, is that a Fiore Card?"

"That's -" All around them now, the ownerless shadows were sliding out of the school, snaking their way across the track grounds toward them. "-the doings of the Shadow Card, Rouge!"

The figure leaped from the roof and landed in front of them. His red eyes aimed right at Wendy, who shivered even more.

"So the Cardcaptor comes for her prey. I must say I'm impressed that you made it this far, but you won't capture me." He said, extending his hand. All around them, shadows were absorbed into him until he was glowing darkly.

"Happy, stay with Chelia."

"Leave it to me!" Wendy turned on her heels and sprinted away, making for the far side of the track.

"Making a run for it? That's not what I expected a Cardcaptor to do, but I won't run from cowards." Rouge followed Wendy, who had anticipated his movement. As quickly as she could she reached for her key and began to chant.

"O key that hides the power of the dark..."

Chelia, safely hidden now behind the bushes of the school grounds, zoomed in for a better shot.

"She looks lovely!"

"... Release! Wind, become one with me. Windy!"

The tingling sensation overcame her as she began to get her Sky Magic back. Wendy opened her eyes to see mist swirling around her. Grinning, she charged at Rouge.

"_Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" _She called out sending air slices from her staff. But that seemed in vain as they went through Rouge's shadowlike body.

"Really is that all you got? _Shadow Dragon's Crushing Fang!" _

"Use the Fly Card and escape now!" Happy shouted from across the grounds, and Wendy ducked to avoid Rouge who was lunging for her. He was right; she had to escape for the moment.

"Fly!"

"It looks like the Rouge has collected the shadows of every student in this school," Happy observed. "It's impossible for Wendy to fight him when he's so powerful."

"Is there any way around that?" Chelia asked, watching Wendy trying to fly away from Rouge who simply used his shadows to follow her.

"We would have to get rid of all the shadows that Rouge has collected. But to do that, we need a powerful light source and without the Light Card, We're pretty much doomed!" Happy panicked.

"Leave things like that to me," Chelia assured him with a conspiratorial wink.

Wendy frantically tried to dodge all of Rouge's attacks as she flew through the school building. She was fast with her wings, but Rouge seemed to travel from shadow-to-shadow with his magic.

"This is why I said it was impossible! What can I do?" She shouted.

* * *

What is Chelia's big idea? Will Wendy be able to capture Rouge or will he have the upper hand? Find out next time: Chelia's Bright Idea! Sparks Fly for Wendy!

Please review!


	6. Chapter 3 Part 2

Hey everybody!

Two updates in one week? That's a new record for me! As always this chapter is the continuation of the last chapter and the start of a new one. Please enjoy!

Chelia's Bright Idea! Sparks Fly for Wendy!

"This is why I said it was impossible! What can I do?" Wendy shouted.

She was currently flying inside the school building trying to avoid getting hit by The Shadow Card, Rouge. She was so focused on what was coming up that she didn't notice a hand grabbing her leg. She gasped and saw Rouge holding on leg, trying to pull her down.

"Let go of me! Help! Help!" She screamed.

"There's no one who can help you now. Accept your fate, Cardcaptor, and be sucked into the shadows." Rouge said, pulling her down.

She felt a rush of terror as she was pulled inexorably downward, and put every ounce of effort into flying upward. But Rouge was strong, and it was a losing battle.

Quite suddenly, all the lights surrounding the track snapped on. Everywhere, the classroom windows were lighting up, one after another. Wendy blinked at the sudden shift, her pupils contracting rapidly to adjust. Rouge hissed and let go of her leg, trying to shield himself from the light.

"Wendy!" Happy and Chelia were waving at her from one of the windows and she soared closer.

"The shadows all disappeared."

"Everything but Rouge disappears when you throw light on it."

"It's impossible to turn on the sun," Chelia added modestly, "but even I can turn on the lights."

"Thank you, Chelia." Wendy said, smiling.

"Wendy!" Happy extended a short arm to point back down to the surface of the track. Rouge was traveling quickly over the exposed ground, hastening out of the range of lights. "There he is!"

"All right!" Wendy nerved herself and zoomed forward, accelerating even as she had to take evasive action to avoid his thrusts of dark attacks.

"Now, Wendy!" Chelia cried.

"Show 'im the result of your special training!" Happy called out.

Sakura's shoes scraped over the earth and she skidded to a halt, facing Rouge.

"Look who's gotten stronger now! _Sky Dragon's Roar!"_

"No it can't be! Is this the power of a Cardcaptor?" Rouge cried out as the razor sharp winds sliced at him.

Wendy raised her staff. "Return to the form you were meant to be in. Fiore Card!"

Rouge writhed for a moment, then reluctantly dissolved and materialized in the Card under the beak of her staff.

"All right! She did it! Nothing less from Cardcaptor Wendy!" Happy's voice was thin and distant in her ears as she bent over to pick it up. Her second capture in as many days. She had done it. With a little help from her friend, she had done it. Maybe she could handle this after all.

Chelia continued to film Wendy from the window with a hint of satisfaction in her smile.

"This is splendid."

* * *

Wendy skipped down the hall, pausing just before opening the door to pull the pink-wrapped gift from her pocket. "Chelia? Thanks for everything last night. I brought this as a thank you -"

Her words died on her lips as she saw herself on the giant screen opposite, struggling to escape the clutches of Rouge with her wings.

"I'm glad this film came out so well," was all Chelia had to say. Wendy's mouth opened and closed a few times before she could remember how to talk.

"Y-you were even filming that?" she wailed.

"Of course. I cannot miss even one second of your bravery, Wendy." She pounced on Wendy and took her hands, eyes pleading. "From now on, please call me anytime you're going to go capture Cards!"

"Wait wha?"

"We must record the wonderful job of the Cardcaptor on film!"

"C-Chelia..."

"And furthermore, leave it to me for all the costumes. Next time, I'll have more frills, and add a ribbon!"

Chelia was not even looking at her anymore, she realized, nor listening to her. Her violet eyes had an enraptured look to them, and she was gazing off into the future. And Wendy realized right then that she had absolutely no chance of interfering with Chelia's plans. The pattern had been set, and this was how things were going to be.

On screen, Wendy finished examining her newest Card and turned her face up to flash a grin at the camera. And then, on a whim, she displayed the Card and opened her fingers into a V. It was the sign for victory, and it was one she intended to use in the future. Very, very often.

* * *

A blue figure swam in the waters and through the drainage pipe. It made its way towards a place marked **Aquarium. **It resided in a tank before taking from. It was a pale woman with blue hair in curls at the end. She wore a blue overcoat and hat. Her facial expression was sad and forlorn.

"My beloved Gray-sama I hope we will be reunited soon…"

* * *

In a watery world, the brightly colored clownfish swam leisurely past the glass, and Wendy pressed her palms against it in her eagerness.

"Hey, the fish here are really cute!" Giggling, she moved to follow the fish as it swam on.

"Wendy looks like she's having fun." Someone commented.

"I agree." Another person said.

"Wendy really loves athletic festivals and field trips." Chelia didn't bother to nod, zooming in on Wendy as she puffed out her cheeks in imitation of the blowfish. The students of Magnolia Middle School had been divided into groups for the social studies field trip, and theirs had been sent to the aquarium.

"Come on, Wendy, the penguin show is about to start! Let's -" She cut off as someone streaked past her, so fast that it was a blur, and causing her hair and skirt to fly up with a whoosh. Wendy came to a stop, then turned to look at the others impatiently.

"Come on, guys, hurry!"

"She's so quick," A person said, her eyes wide.

"Penguins, penguins, penguins!" Wendy chanted in reply, turning to go up the escalator.

* * *

"Someone almost drowned? You, Wendy?"

"No, Happy. You weren't really listening to me, were you? I thought I saw someone grab the penguin trainer from underwater." He shrugged guiltily and flitted around her head as she stirred a bowl at the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry. It's been a while since the last time everyone was gone, and I could leave your room, so I'm a little restless. Come to think of it, you're right. There's no way you would drown, Wendy. You don't have much beyond your athletic abilities, but -"

"What do you mean, not much else?" Angrily she swiped at him with her mixing spoon. "You're not getting any hot cakes, now."

"Oh, Wendy come on..." he wheedled, knowing she would probably relent if he could turn the topic of conversation back away from him. He watched her pour the batter into the pan and prepare to flip it.

"Yeah. According to the adults, they were wondering if it was because the plug for the pool got accidentally pulled out." She finished flipping and placed the cakes in a short stack on her plate, pouring on syrup. "But I don't think that's quite it. Here." She held up a forkful and he gulped down the offering enthusiastically. "I don't think it was an accident like that. But more like - more like I know something about it."

"Like when you're facing a Fiore Card?"

"Mm."

"I'm home!" Her brother's voice carried clearly from the front hallway and Wendy jumped out of her chair. Oh no, he was home already? Happy was gobbling as much of her pancakes as he could, and she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck before dashing to the stairs and tossing him upward.

"Happy, up to my room now! Hide!" She turned just in time and leaned nonchalantly against the banister as her brother shuffled past. "Welcome home."

"Hey dragon girl."

"How was your day Natsu?" She asked as he walked over to the fridge.

Natsu didn't have the words to explain it to her, and instead he snatched a bite of her freshly made pancakes, pulling the fork out of his mouth slowly and lovingly. As expected, she forgot their conversation and leapt on him with flailing fists.

"You're so mean! You ate without asking! Those were the hot cakes that I bought with my allowance!"

As if her pathetic blows had any effect on him. She couldn't even reach up past his chest, and he gave a derisive snort before turning to call out to the front door.

"Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and come in!"

Wendy froze, a familiar blush creeping to her cheeks. Could it be?

"Sorry,I was taking off my shoes, and it took longer than I thought. Good afternoon, Wendy." Jellal paused in the doorway from the hall and bestowed his beautiful smile upon her.

"J-jellal. Hi."

"Those look delicious. Wendy, you're a really good cook." Her cheeks warmed still further and she ducked her head.

"I don't really think so."

"Yeah," Natsu agreed cheerfully. "She really isn't that good." His face contorted in pain as she brought her foot down on his. Before he could retaliate, she'd turned back to Jellal.

"If you don't mind, would you like some hot cakes?"

"Is that all right? You bought those with your allowance, right?"

"It's all right," she replied softly. "I'll bring it up to my brother's room in a minute."

"Say thanks Wendy." He smiled at her before following Natsu up the stairs.

And with that one word, delivered with a pair of smiling brown eyes, Sakura no longer cared about Natsu or anyone else. She was in a heaven all of her own.

* * *

Wendy's crush on Jellal is blooming fast. Will she get him to notice her? Find out next time: Wendy's outing! The Water Card's wrath.

Please review!


	7. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone!**

**Time for Wendy to have a nice date with Jellal! This won't have any effect to the main ship of the story. But please enjoy! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows. To reply to one of them, this series length depends on the readers. Hope you like long chapters, because this one is lengthy.  
**

**Wendy's Outing! The Water Card's wrath.**

After she had painstakingly prepared two dishes of pancakes and poured two glasses of milk tea, Wendy paused outside her brother's door. The tray was heavy and she didn't want to spill anything by trying to knock. What to do?

She was about to call out when Jellal opened the door and leaned down to take the tray.

"Thank you very much for your trouble, Wendy."

"No, I -"

"What, Wendy?" Natsu looked up in surprise from his homework. "You were there?"

Both of them turned curious eyes toward Jellal.

"How did you know I was here, when I didn't knock?" Wendy asked.

He shrugged. "Just a hunch that you brought something for us, Wendy." And with that he winked.

* * *

Happy was hovering in midair, as he often did when thinking hard, his tail whipping back and forth.

"Aquarium... water... Hmm." His meditations were cut short by Wendy bursting into the room and shutting the door behind her, then sinking down to the floor with a happy sigh. "Wendy? Hey, Wendy?" She was paying no attention to him at all, but gazing dreamily into thin air, a crimson flush across her cheeks. "What in the world happened?"

Without warning she grabbed him and hugged him close to her chest, ignoring his cries, and jumped to her feet to dance across the room.

"I'm so happy! Jellal is so cool!"

She collapsed against the pile of stuffed animals, and unsuccessfully he squirmed to escape her clutches.

"Hey! What are you doing so lifeless like this? What happened to your duties as Cardcaptor?"

"Jellal is so much better than cards," she murmured drowsily.

"Hey now, are you fine with the idea of the penguin trainer drowning again?" That got her attention at last, and she sat up and released him.

"I don't want that. That's too sad." Breathing raggedly, Happy crawled across the floorboards to sit on one of her slippers.

"I thought I was gonna die," he muttered to himself. "But it might be a little tricky this time. Of course, I assume that the trainer nearly drowned in water."

"Mm."

"And when it was happening, did you see who was trying to drown them, Wendy?"

"I thought I saw someone grab her from the water."

"That's probably the water card, Juvia. She can be a real pain when it comes to her relationship with the ice card."

"Just as I thought. So all I have to do is capture her and turn her back into a card!" Wendy exclaimed happily.

"It won't be that easy," he cautioned. "Water inside water, you can't see Juvia with your own eyes. Even if you could pull her out of the water, if she disperses into tiny pieces, you can't really control her. It's hard to capture things with no solid shapes like water. Juvia is one of the higher mages in the Fiore Cards, too. The four basic elemental cards of earth, water, fire, and wind are rather difficult to use. Furthermore, Juvia is an offensive Card, so she's got quite a temper. The Cards you have now are Windy, Fly, and Shadow. They're no match for what we're facing. For instance, even if you used your wind powers, another high level of magic, you can't go against Juvia. That's because you're too kind and can't seem to harm others."

Wendy's shoulders had been slumping throughout Happy's spontaneous lecture, and she felt her spirits take a sudden blow at his last words. She really didn't want to hurt any of the cards with her wind magic, but she had to find a way to capture them all.

And she had to use pure luck alone.

* * *

How? How? How?

Over and over the word echoed through her mind as Wendy paced across the schoolgrounds. Unnoticed, Chelia followed in silence.

Wendy leant over the fountain, watching her reflection waver with the slight ripples. It was impossible. She broke the still surface and her image by plunging her hands into the liquid and scooping up a handful. But it leaked out between her fingers and she sat on the edge of the fountain with a groan. It was impossible, but she had to hurry up and do it anyway.

"You don't look so cheerful right now Wendy, is something the matter?" Chelia asked, sitting next to her.

"N-no, I'm fine."

Chelia took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"It looks like a great challenge, so typical for upholders of justice, has fallen on your shoulders."

Wendy sighed and explained everything, the danger, Happy's warnings, all of it.

"Oh my. So it's the fault of a Fiore Card after all."

"Yeah, but Happy tells me that I can't catch it yet."

* * *

The two of them left school together that day, Chelia walking while Wendy skated at a sedate pace beside her.

"Chelia."

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for listening to my story."

"That smile is best on you, Wendy." Chelia announced, taking pleasure in the way Wendy's face split into a grin. "Oh yes, this is for you, Wendy. It's a new product from my cousin's company." She was holding out a slim cell phone, which was a pretty shade of blue, and decorated with a cloud over the number pad. "This is yours, Wendy. And this one is for Happy."

Wendy took both proffered phones, a little dazed.

"Are you sure that I can borrow these?"

"Of course. My cousin wants to know if they're easy to use, as well."

Wendy couldn't believe how lucky she was, to have such a good friend that could cheer her up.

"Thanks for worrying about me."

"I will see you tomorrow."

"See you then."

They parted company, and Wendy began skating faster on her way home. Her mind was still occupied with her problem. She'd suggested combining the three Cards, but Happy had shaken his head firmly.

"No, no good. With just the Cards you have, Wendy, it's no use no matter what you do."

But the Water Card was still there in the aquarium, just waiting for her. It was so frustrating.

Her mind elsewhere, she wasn't really paying attention and too late after turning the corner she saw that someone was directly in her path. She let out a shriek and tried to swerve, but her speed had been too great to fully control her direction. Her feet went out from under her and she knew she was destined for a painful smack with the pavement, but then a pair of strong hands caught her. Her fall had been arrested in the nick of time.

"Sorry -" She opened her eyes to see Jellal's worried face, and choked on her apology. "Oh!"

"Um..Wendy?"

"Jellal." He stood and helped her to her feet.

"It's dangerous if you don't watch where you're going."

"Sure I'm sorry."

His familiar smile returned to his face, as a way of showing her it was forgotten.

"Thank you for those hot cakes yesterday. They were delicious."

"No, it's nothing."

"You're out late today. Are you coming back from practice?" Seeing her puzzled expression, he elaborated. "I thought you were a member of the cheerleading squad."

"Yeah I am."

"I heard from Natsu, that he was hit by your baton while you were practicing at home."

Wendy turned crimson at that, humiliated. Just exactly what kind of things did her brother tell Jellal when they were alone?

"To say thanks for the hot cakes, would you like to go out for a nice meal with me sometime?"

Wendy was shocked out of her embarrassment and saw that Jellal was smiling earnestly.

"Really?"

"I found a place that serves pretty good food. I'll meet you at the park tomorrow, at one."

He was inviting her out with him! Just the two of them! Wendy thought she might burst, but instead she just nodded.

"Yes that'll be totally fine."

After that, she couldn't even feel her skates touching the pavement as she glided home. Everything was so indescribably wonderful and perfect; there was nothing wrong with the world, nothing at all.

Happy raised his eyebrows as she floated through the doorway, then shut it behind her and slid down against the wood until she was on the floor.

"Jellal..."

" This again? Come on Wendy." Happy pestered, rolling his eyes.

She paid him no attention, but let out a hysterical giggle before throwing herself onto her bed with her new phone in hand. _Chelia really hooked me up this time! _She thought.

Still ignoring Happy's nagging comments, buried her face into the pillow with a dreamy sigh. Tomorrow would never come fast enough.

* * *

He was already there when she arrived, his hands in his pockets as he watched birds fly across the sky. She smoothed her skirt nervously, she'd spent all morning agonizing over what to wear ,and bowed, and he returned it.

"Did I remember the meeting time wrong?" She asked, nervously.

"No, you're fifteen minutes early."

"Oh? Then -"

"I didn't want to keep you waiting, Wendy, so I came really early."

Oh. That simple comment carried such consideration and tenderness that she felt her cheeks growing warm again, and her whole body fluttering as if she might take off and fly. Paying absolutely no attention to where they were going, she was surprised when she finally found herself standing before the aquarium.

"This is?"

"That's right, Wendy, you came here the other day. Didn't you?"

He took her hand and led her up the steps.

"We're going in here?"

"That's right."

She couldn't ask even if she wanted to, but allowed herself to be led past the sliding glass doors.

"I get it. It's this aquarium. This is perfect! I can check to see if there is a Fiore Card here."

Happy, safe behind the cover a low tree, fluttered over Chelia's shoulder and flashed a conspiratorial grin before adjusting his sunglasses. Chelia responded by adjusting her own, and pulled her cap down low over her braids.

"And I can film Wendy's first date on video!" They exchanged a quick high five, and Chelia raised her camera again.

"Let's go!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"That's a big fish," Jellal evaluated as the blue giant undulated leisurely past the glass. It was so huge it seemed to fill the viewing window, and Wendy felt her eyes growing bigger as she tried to take it all in.

"It really is."

"I wonder if I could eat it?"

"Wouldn't it be too much for one person?" He winked slyly at her.

"I don't think it's too much." Wendy did, but she didn't press the issue. Instead she leaned against the railing, sidling ever closer to his elbow.

"Yeah..."

"They're so relaxed," Chelia commented from behind the camera.

Happy felt a familiar shudder run down his back. He turned around to see the water stir slightly around him. _This looks weird. Maybe the card is close by?_

As if his thoughts were correct, the tank in front of Wendy and Jellal burst open. Water flooded everywhere as it poured from the giant crack. People screamed and fled from the running water.

"Wendy!" Jellal shouted trying to catch her from getting swept up.

Wendy wasn't quite sure what had happened; only that she'd heard some terrified screams, and then a tank had been upended directly over her. Instantly she was under the surface. It was so sudden that she hadn't had the chance to take a good breath, and after a moment she pushed herself upward to seek air. Something tugged on her leg, keeping her down, and a ripple of shock when through her when she recognized the whirlpool tightening around her ankle. Instantly a woman's face had appeared and her hand was clutching her leg. Wendy recognized her instantly as the water card Juvia.

"Love Rival, give Gray back to me." She said.

Wendy couldn't reply, but she struggled to get out of her grip. Air was slowly leaving her body the more Juvia dragged her down. Suddenly, the water level started to go down. Juvia let her go and swam to get back to the water. Feeling faint, she splashed to the surface and took several gulping breaths.

"Wendy!" Her brother was taking her in his arms now, anxiously running hands over her face and chest to check her breathing and pulse. "Are you all right?"

Somehow she managed a shaky nod, and he waded through the remaining water to carry her up the stairs.

"Thanks what're you doing here?" She whispered.

"I wanted to see what you guys were up too." He whispered back.

"Wendy!" Chelia dropped to a crouch beside her as Natsu set her down, taking one of her hands and squeezing it.

"Chelia. Wait, where's Jellal?" A sound made everyone look over, and Natsu realized his friend was leaning nonchalantly against the handle of an axe by the exit.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"I thought I was gonna die," Wendy whispered to her friend.

"Is this what we think it is?" Chelia inquired, and Happy pushed up her cap to peek out from underneath.

"Yeah, it's the doings of a Fiore Card."

"Juvia was here."

"You saw her?" She nodded, unconsciously rubbing her ankle as she remembered her terrifying grip. It had been so strong...

"By the way, what are you two doing here?" At that they both gave a guilty cringe, and then Happy vanished back under Chelia's cap as Jellal climbed the stairs to kneel beside her.

"Are you sure you're okay Wendy?" He asked again.

Wendy nodded. "Thanks Jellal for stopping the water."

He smiled. "No problem. As long as you're okay, then everything's alright."

Wendy felt her cheeks grow hotter. "I guess our outing is pretty much done. A shame we didn't get to spend more time together."

"Well there's always tomorrow." Jellal said, cheerfully.

Wendy nodded. _Right now I've got to capture Juvia before she causes more of a mess. I'm coming tonight to finish the job!_

* * *

**Can Wendy catch Juvia? Or will she be all washed up? Find out next time: The Battle of Love! Sky vs. Water!**

**As always please review!**


	8. Chapter 4 Part 2

Hey Everybody!

Back from the grind of relaxation and work to give you the latest update on our little Cardcaptor. Time for her to face the water card! Thanks for all the favs, follows, and reviews that keep this story alive! Enjoy!~

**The Battle of Love! Sky vs. Water!**

* * *

The aquarium was closed for the day. The security guard was asleep at his desk. On the monitor, two girls and a flying cat zipped through the hallways. Nighttime was the best time to capture a card.

* * *

"Is it really gonna be all right?" Happy inquired anxiously. Wendy was hitting a fast pace now, running down the hall for all she was worth. Chelia they left behind, and slipped through an unmarked door to find the reserve water tanks.

"Leave it to me and my waterproof jester outfit!" Wendy smiled as she examined her getup. The outfit consists of 3 colors, which are white, blue and yellow. The main part of the outfit, the white suit, had a split skirt, which allowed Wendy to easily move around in the outfit. Attached to the end of each tail is a small ball and the tails at the front of the skirt are far smaller than the rest of the outfit. The suit is very small although this allows Wendy to move around freely in the outfit. There are two large cuffs, which replace the sleeves on the suit. This outfit also has a high collar with two tails at the front with yellow balls attached to it. There was also a blue hat with golden balls hanging from it. The pointy shoes topped off the whole outfit.

"This is where the magic feels strongest. It's here." Wendy nodded and pulled out her phone, pressing auto-dial.

"Hey Wendy." Chelia answered.

"Did you find it?"

"Bingo. First floor basement."

"All right. Then hide somewhere." Taking one last moment to smooth her jester costume's skirt, Wendy leapt to the edge of the pool with her staff raised. "Juvia! Come get me if you can!"

But nothing happened. Wendy frowned and peered into the tank. She prodded the water with her staff, but nothing jumped out. "I have Gray the ice card!" She tried yelling.

Now Wendy could feel the stirrings of power beneath her, of an explosive force getting ready to unleash itself upon her. She stepped back just before a geyser erupted in front of them.

"Now would be a good time to fly!" Wendy felt her wings sprout from her back, and she sailed out of the room and down a corridor, water streaming behind her. Flapping as best he could, Happy tailed them both.

* * *

Wendy had never realized how loud water could be. Water was always just there, a quiet and passive substance that she washed her face with, or swam in, or watched flowing in the creek. Before this, she'd never realized how utterly cacophonous it could be, what a terrifying roar it could create. It was behind her she knew, directly behind her as it crashed against the walls and splashed loudly in an effort to catch up with her. Parts of the force behind her was splitting off, raining down around her and trying to slow her down. She couldn't let that happen, and began to fly evasively, darting around the attacks and doing her best to fly in an erratic pattern without losing speed.

She could see Chelia now, waving with one arm while holding the camera steady with the other. Wendy whisked past her and shot through the doorway, zooming down the stairs with water gushing just behind her.

Adrenaline was pumping hard in her bloodstream now, and she wondered how much longer she could keep this up. Then she realized that she didn't have to; she'd reached her destination at last. The huge solid door was a comforting presence, and she screeched to a halt before it.

"Time for a little wind magic!" Wendy summon the wind card and combined her powers to gain her sky form. The water stopped and formed a human body, Juvia.

"So the Cardcaptor thought she could trick Juvia into following her? Juvia will not be made a fool of." She said, before stretching out her hand. "Water Nebula!"

Wendy flew to avoid the water coming at her. A fight was not what she had in mind, however. She positioned herself behind Juvia, surprising her.

"Juvia you need to chill out!" Wendy exclaimed.

Suddenly, Juvia's eyes formed little hearts. "Chill out? Does that mean Gray-sama is nearby?" She turned around in all directions, looking for her icy crush.

"Wind Slash of the Sky Dragon!" Wendy shouted her new move as Juvia got hit with the windy blades. The door flew opened and she pushed Juvia inside. Wendy slammed the door shut again and sank to the floor, breathing raggedly.

"That was great, Wendy!" Happy cheered, as he and Chelia caught up at last. "If you freeze water, it's easy to capture it."

"I'm glad I could be of use to you." Chelia said. She took her eyes off the viewscreen long enough to check her watch. "It should be about done."

Wendy nodded and dragged herself to her feet again, pulling open the door warily. But the danger was immobile now; Juvia stood there, frozen with a forlorn look on her face.

"Return to the guise you were meant to be in. Fiore Card!" Wendy struck the air with her staff, and the ice sculpture dissolved in a haze of magic before being sucked toward the beak of her staff.

"But how did you ever come up with it?" Happy pressed, not even waiting until the Card had floated into her open hand.

"It was all thanks to what Jellal told me one day." Instantly Wendy felt as if she were floating on thin air, thinking about Jellal.

Happy waved a paw in front of her eyes and got no reaction.

"Oh man, even Wendy is frozen now. Hey, we even get a punch line this time!"

Chelia giggled, even as she zoomed in on Wendy's expression.

"Show your guts next time, too, Wendy!"

* * *

Later….

A cold frost thicken on the windows of the Dragneel house. Wendy curled up in her bed, the air around her chilly and cold. _I can't sleep because of the freezing cold weather. And it's only fall! _She thought. She tossed over and snuggled against Happy, who flinched slightly.

Meanwhile in the basement, ice covered the entire basement floor. Around the whole area, thick sheets of ice covered everything. two figures stood up in the cold, both having nothing on their chest.

"I believe this is the Cardcaptor house. Not too shabby I suppose." One said.

"Well let's try not to make a big mess. We both may know ice magic, but we can't just freeze her house. Let's just remain in card form for now." The other said.

The air around them froze everything as one of them walked into the moonlight of a window. His dark blue eyes glisten in the light and his raven hair blowing softly in the wind.

* * *

Next Time: Wendy's Tiring Sunday! Frostbite Early in The Morning!

Sorry for the short chapter, but I had to wrap up episode three. I promise a long chapter next time though. Can you guess the two cards for our next chapter?

As always review and good night!


	9. Chapter 5

**Hey guys!**

**How was your St. Patrick's Day? Mine was very green, at least everything around it was. Anyway thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows from the previous chapter! Now on with our regularly scheduled story.**

**Wendy's Tiring Sunday! Frostbite early in the Morning!**

It was a fresh, pale blue sky that greeted the world that morning, faithfully reflected in the multiple puddles of rainwater across the ground. Wendy pushed open her window and surveyed the view with sparkling green eyes.

"Yes! It's sunny!"

"You're right," Happy assented happily. "It's like the rain last night never fell. But Wendy, you're sure up early for a Sunday."

"I'm going on a picnic to the forest park with Chelia today. Hey, you should come with us, Happy. If you stay inside the backpack, nobody will notice you. Come on!" Her enthusiasm could be contained no longer and she swept Happy up in a crushing embrace. Ignoring his muffled cries for help, she danced across the room. "I'm so glad its good weather today!"

* * *

"Good morning!"

"Morning, Wendy." Her father glanced up from his breakfast and smiled his gentle smile. She returned it, skipping to her chair with a pert giggle.

"The dragon is on cloud nine," Natsu observed cynically, causing Wendy to stop in her tracks and scowl slightly. Then she whipped around and shot him a dazzling smile.

"I'll forgive you today." Natsu almost choked, and Igneel looked up again.

"You're really in a good mood today, Wendy." Igneel commented.

"I'm going out with Chelia today." Her father's smile faded, and before she even had a chance to wonder at it, a thump on the table caused her to look over. Natsu was resting his elbows on the family's message board with a sort of resigned expression on his handsome face. "What?"

"You're doing all the chores today, correct? Did you forget that you wrote it down yourself last week?"

Wendy looked at the scribbling across the white surface of the board and felt her shoulders slump. Oh no...

"I can't do chores today! I have to go spend time practicing for the big cheerleading competition." She said.

"All right," he'd said, rather shortly. "I'll switch with you."

"Really?"

"But you have to do all the chores next Sunday." She had nodded blithely and hurried to mark the change on the board.

"Okay!"

* * *

And that was how it had happened. She was very much in charge of all the chores on Sunday, which was today. Natsu didn't wait for any acknowledgement on her part, but shrugged into his jacket and made for the front door.

"Well, I got work today."

Her father was a little more sympathetic, and collected the laundry basket from upstairs to bring down.

"It's been raining a lot lately so we have a lot of laundry. Do you want me to help out a bit?"

"You have your presentation today. I'll do it."

She smiled bravely for his benefit, and his expression softened as he leaned down to ruffle her hair.

"Thanks Wendy."

"Leave it to me!"

"Then I'll put this near the washing machine."

"I'm going now!" Natsu shouted, and the door slammed.

"I'll be heading out too." Igneel reached for his briefcase and absentmindedly straightened his tie.

"Have a good day you two!" she called out just before he left the house. And then it was just her and a long day of chores stretching ahead. She allowed herself a small sigh before picking up the phone and dialing Chelia's number.

"Oh, I see," was her characteristic response once Wendy explained the situation. "That's too bad."

"Sorry Chelia. I forgot that I was in charge of all the chores today."

"There's nothing we can do now."

"I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it too much. Please do your best with your chores."

"Mm. Thanks. See you at school tomorrow."

"Yes, tomorrow." Wendy hung up, and after a moment Chelia did as well. The picnic basket and camera equipment had all been stacked on the coffee table in preparation for today. It really was too bad.

* * *

"I'll bring a letter of apology with me on Monday," Wendy said aloud to the hallway. She really did feel awful for backing out. But there was nothing that could be done about it; her family was depending on her to get the job done today. She eyed the mountain of laundry in the basket and rolled up her sleeves. "I'll get to it!"

She began by scrubbing the dishes in the kitchen sink.

"How's it going, Happy?"

"Just because there's nobody at home right now, why do I have to do something like this?" he grouched in reply, struggling to load all the clothing and the soap into the machine. Finally he managed it, and pressed the button. Water began to pour into the basin.

Wendy could hear the machine starting, and hummed contentedly to herself. The clothes were getting washed, the dishes were done... she was off to a great start. She wielded her feather duster with aggression, flicking over the living room with practiced ease. After dusting it was time to roll up the lint on the carpet, and she crawled around behind the couch to make a thorough job of it. She was almost to the edge of the carpet when she caught sight of something familiar peeking out from underneath. It looked like a –

"Is that a Fiore Card?" She leaned over and reached to touch it. A sudden sensation of numbness gripped her fingers and she quickly withdrew her hand. Frantically, she looked at her fingers to see them dusted with crystals. Thinking fast, she pressed her fingers together to generate more heat and tugged the card from underneath the carpet. To her surprise there was only half a card.

"The Ice, the Ice Card?" Wendy read.

* * *

The water finished filling the drum, and then everything went quiet. Impatiently Happy hovered over the open lid and scowled.

"Hey, it stopped. What the - whoa!" He'd misjudged the distance and smacked his head right into the open door of the machine, losing control of his wings for a moment. The heavy metal door slammed shut down over him, and at last the machine began to agitate.

* * *

"Happy, I found a Fiore Card! Well half of one at least. Oh, he's not here." She paused in surprise at the sight of the empty utility room, then shrugged and slipped the Card into her pocket. "I'll brag about this later."

* * *

After about a year, it seemed to him, the machine stopped agitating and Happy was able to push the lid up and crawl out.

"Things sure spin around a lot today," he slurred, gazing dreamily at the way the walls were rotating around him. Then he shook his head to clear it and slammed his little paw against the machine with determination. "That's it! I quit! This isn't the type of thing that the strongest guardian beast should be do -"

* * *

"I know!" It was Wendy out in the hallway, mopping and talking gaily to herself. "When I'm done with this, I'll have some ice cream with Happy!"

Well, if she was willing to be reasonable with her incentives...

* * *

"I guess I can help her a little bit more," he muttered, though it was grudging.

* * *

The morning was wearing steadily into the early afternoon by the time she was done upstairs and crept down the basement stairs.

"All right! This is the last place!" She was industriously vacuuming under her father's desk when something large stuck to the mouth of the vacuum. "Huh? What's this?" She wrinkled her nose as she pried the offending litter away from the vacuum, then realized what she was holding. "Oh, it's other half of the Fiore Card! I'm lucky today, I found two halves of a whole Card!" She was beginning to think that it had been entirely worth it to stay home today, and beamed as she took the first half of the Ice Card from her pocket and placed them both on the desk. She put them together and a blue light resonated from the both of them. Instantly, the room grew colder and Wendy shivered.

"Well they don't call it the Ice Card for nothing!"

The phone rang and Wendy ran upstairs to answer it. Unnoticed by her, the two halves started to pulse out frozen energy, freezing everything around the basement.

* * *

**Next time: Battle in the Basement! Sky versus Ice!**

**As always please review and in the comments, tell me what Fairy Tail character should be a card!**


	10. Chapter 5 Part 2

**Hey Everyone!**

**How's it going? Spring break is just around the corner for me so I'll be updating almost everyday! But I wanted to get this story updated for you so you can enjoy reading it! So without further ado…**

**Battle in the Basement! Sky versus Ice.**

"Hello, Dragneel residence."

"Hey Wendy."

"Oh hey dad!"

"Can you see if there's a blue envelope on top of the dining table?" His voice sounded tense, and Wendy moved into the next room to check.

"There's one."

"Sorry, but can you bring that to the bus stop? Everything that I'm presenting today is inside that envelope."

"I'll be right there!" She hung up and proceeded to strap on her rollerblades. "Happy, I have to step out for a bit!"

Happy was toting the laundry upstairs and heard her call out something, but didn't bother to ask for clarification. All he had to do now was hang the laundry, and he would be free and in the clear.

* * *

Downstairs, the sunlight from one tiny high-up window fell across the desk and the two Cards. They had fled Wendy's mind completely for the time being, and there was no one to see a pale blue light begin to throb from the second half of the Card. Slowly, the ink began to melt away.

* * *

Wendy waved at the departing bus, and her father returned the wave before he disappeared from view.

"See you later!"

"Thanks sweetheart!"

The bus turned the corner, and someone addressed her from behind.

"Oh hey Wendy!" She whirled at the familiar voice, and felt the blush spread across her cheeks.

"Jellal!"

"That was your father, right? Were you running errands?"

"Y-yeah. He forgot something at home."

"So you brought it over here. You're such a good girl." She ducked her head bashfully, and for the first time noticed the blue blazer and tie.

"Oh, your uniform?"

"The basketball team had a game today. I was helping out a little bit."

Jellal didn't actually belong to any of the school teams. But he was often asked to fill in for games, just for his sheer raw talent at sports. Wendy thought he could do anything if he really wanted to.

"Hey, Wendy, have you had lunch yet?"

"I haven't yet."

"Would you like to have lunch with me? Over there?" He nodded toward the cafe window next to them, and Wendy flushed bright red. A meal with Jellal? How could she ever say no to that!

* * *

In less time than it took to tell, the two of them were seated in the booth next to the window and digging in. The waiter was, surprisingly, her brother, and he leaned down to set another plate in front of Jellal.

"Three extra large plates," she murmured in awe.

"He eats at least three times as much as I do," Natsu commented wryly.

"Three times?"

"Go ahead and have some too," Jellal offered between mouthfuls. "It's my treat."

"Happy is waiting for me at home, so -"

"Happy?" Wendy winced and mentally kicked herself at the puzzled expression in his brown eyes.

"Oh it's nothing. I-it's good to eat a lot. It's very healthy."

"Hard on my allowance though," Jellal laughed.

* * *

Lunch ended far too quickly, and Wendy skated home in a haze of bliss. Yes, it had been entirely worth it to stay home today; everything was working out great!

Lunch ended far too quickly, and Wendy skated home in a haze of bliss. Yes, it had been entirely worth it to stay home today; everything was working out great!

"Jellal he's so cool! I was able to see Jellal today!" She dumped her blades on the porch and entered the house again. "I'm home!" The laundry was already hanging on the upper balcony, she'd seen, and in vain she looked for Happy to thank him. At last she found him crashed out on her bed, snoring lightly. "Thanks a lot Happy. I'll get ready for lunch right away."

She made to turn away from the bed, but froze at the ominous rumble underneath her. What was that?

"Happy?"

There was another menacing gurgle, and the sound of something creaking.

"Happy!"

"Wha...lunch already?" Groggily he sat up and rubbed his head.

"Shh! This sound..." There was another mysterious groan, and she clutched him tightly to her chest. "I wonder if it's a burglar."

"It seems to be coming from downstairs," he said, slightly muffled.

"Could it be a ghost?"

"They wouldn't appear in broad daylight."

"Maybe some do," she quavered.

At last he managed to persuade her to go downstairs, where the noises seemed louder but still no source could be seen.

"It's from the basement," he declared at last, and put his fuzzy ear to the door. "Definitely from in here. Now." He gestured at her to open the door, and this she did, though fearfully. Though there should have been some light from the open window, Wendy could only see darkness beyond. "I can't see clearly -"

Abruptly, a long icicle shot up from underneath her. Wendy yelped as she avoid getting pierced. She shrieked and pushed the door shut, snapping off the end of the icicle off with a crack.

"What in the world was that?" She struggled to say.

"It looked like an icicle to me." Happy answered.

"Why is there an icicle in my basement?!"

"This is the doing of the Ice Card!"

"A Fiore Card?" She clapped her hand over her mouth as she remembered. "Oh, that's right, today -" Downstairs, icicles started to stretch from the bottom off the stairs and cracking the doorway. At the bottom of the stairs, the raven haired boy faced the door.

"Is she going to keep that door closed or what?" He wondered aloud.

* * *

"What? You left a Fiore Card alone without writing your name on it?"

"Because I found it as a card, and I got that phone call -"

"This is bad! Fiore Cards start listening to their owners after the owner's name is inscribed onto them."

"But it was in the house for all this time. Nothing had happened until now."

"Well you've got a point. The Ice Card doesn't do much damage if it's in a stable condition." Happy reasoned.

"Then, why?"

"Hmm..." He crossed his arms and began to twitch his tail in thought.

"Don't let go, Happy!" The force behind the door pushed it open a crack, and before either could do anything thick icicles had snaked around Wendy's ankle and Happy's waist. "Aah! What should we do?"

"I'm in a bind myself!" he snapped, struggling to pry himself free.

"Well aren't you two in a mess." The raven haired guy said coolly.

"OMG! Why is that guy not wearing a shirt?" Wendy shrieked.

"What the heck!? I was just wearing one!" As Gray searched frantically for his clothes, Happy filled Wendy in.

"Yeah the Ice Card a.k.a Gray has a distinct habit of stripping his clothing at times."

"Oh so he loses his shirt?" Wendy asked.

"Sometimes his whole assemble."

Wendy grimaced and found herself numbed by the pain of being frozen in ice. Gray had a stranglehold on them both, and was freezing mercilessly. Both were trapped, and she was sure that it couldn't get any worse.

She was wrong.

The doorbell rang.

* * *

Again and again it rang, as Wendy struggled to rid herself of the encumbrance around her ankle and simultaneously push against the door.

"Who is it?"

"We'd know who it was if we answered the door."

"If they saw us like this, we would be the talk of the town. You too, Happy. They might sell you off somewhere as a talking plush toy!"

"I wouldn't like that."

Again and again the visitor pressed on the doorbell. Its chime resonated throughout the house.

"Yes?" Wendy called out, then clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Why are you answering?"

"Habit."

"Well, for now, I'll -" His head dropped down and he ceased struggling, his paws hanging listlessly at his sides.

"Happy?"

"Don't talk to plush toys," he muttered out of the side of his mouth.

"No fair!" The massive strength she was fighting against would be contained no longer, and with a slam the basement door swung wide open. Huge thick Icicles spilled through the open doorway, and Wendy let out an involuntary scream as Gray kept the cold coming. He uses his hands to generate ice from hands and frankly, she wasn't enjoying being a human popsicle.

"Aw come on…if this is what the Cardcaptor is like, then I'm going to die of boredom." Gray complained.

"Oh no..." With dread twisting in her stomach, Wendy watched the shadow on the other side of the frosted glass, and the doorknob begin to turn. The game was up, and she couldn't think of any way out. Helplessly she covered her eyes and waited for the end to come.

"Hello," greeted a familiar voice.

"Chelia!"

Her friend stood just inside the door, taking in the scene with raised eyebrows.

"I thought I'd help you with your chores." Chelia then took notice of Gray, who was equally surprised to see her. Chelia then went towards Wendy and broke her and Happy from the ice. "Did you guys crank up the AC or something? It's freezing in here."

"No, it's a Fiore Card. It's Gray's fault!" Wendy pointed to the raven haired teen.

"Wendy, seal it off now!" happy shouted.

She nodded and pulled the key out from under her blouse, running through the chant quickly.

"Release! Return to the guise you were meant to be in. Fiore Card!"

Gray frowned and put his hands together. A blast of cold air surrounded them and he was gone.

"You looked lovely." Chelia already had her camera out, and together they watched the icicles glow blue before fading away completely. Wendy smiled, and then looked around with a puzzled expression. "Is something wrong?"

"The Card is missing."

"That can't be," Happy denied. But it was true; there was no sign of the sealed Card anywhere. "Are you sure it's not around here somewhere?"

"Perhaps the room over there?" Chelia suggested. Wendy snapped her fingers.

"Gray must've escaped downstairs to the basement! But how do we fight him?" Wendy asked.

Happy smiled. "There's one way to capture him. All we need is a little water."

"All right, let's go get the Card then." No one even had the chance to take a step when there was another rumble, which quickly grew into a deafening roar. A horde of ice crystals shot their way and Wendy had to block them all with her staff. They ventured further and saw Gray standing in the middle of the fray.

"So are we going to fight or what?" He asked, taking off his shirt.

"Um…why did he just take off his shirt?" Chelia asked.

"We have no idea. Let's just let Gray be Gray." Happy sighed. "It's time for Cardcaptor Wendy!"

"But first.." Chelia grinned.

* * *

"No, why did you have these clothes right now?" Wendy queried, flabbergasted as always. This time it was a pink and white feathers theme, complete with a feathered headband for her hair. The flamboyant pink skirt would have been bad enough, but the fact that it was rubber and squeaked with every move just made it that much worse. Chelia paid no attention to her expression and zoomed in to focus on the pink high-tops.

"I was planning to film 'Wendy Dances in the Jungle' at the park today."

"And that's why you had this lunch prepared?" Happy questioned through a mouthful of sandwich. Wendy didn't know how he could think of food at a time like this, but sure enough he managed to polish off an entire fish sandwich even while telling them the battle plans.

"We can beat him if we try that okay? "

"Let's hurry," Chelia encouraged, bringing out her camera.

Gray got into a battle stance. "Just so you know, I'm not going easy on you."

Wendy smiled. "Well I've got a surprise up my sleeve too!" Wendy plucked her latest Card from the deck and tossed it into the air.

"I summon the Water Card, Juvia!" Sure enough, as soon as she touched the card, Juvia emerged. She took one look at Gray who's face paled.

"You've got to be kidding-"He didn't get to finish his sentence before Juvia embraced him in a tight hug.

"GRAY-SAMA! JUVIA HAS MISSED YOU! SHE WAITING FOR YOU AND SHE FINALLY GOT HER WISH!" Juvia kept Gray bounded tight in her arms and poor Gray couldn't do anything.

"All right, way to go Juvia!" Happy cheered. "We did it!"

"Return to the guise you were meant to be in. Fiore Card!" Juvia pouted, but released Gray so that Wendy could seal him. He dissipated in a wave of magic as he was sucked toward the beak of Wendy's staff, and then the Card formed once more.

The icicles disappeared and a warm breeze entered the basement. Wendy, Chelia, and Happy watched as the crystal shards form a beautiful sight.

"Hey, take a look at that!" Wendy exclaimed. All of them turned to see a faint band of color in the sunlight from the window.

"A rainbow!" Happy said.

"How pretty." Chelia whispered.

* * *

"We-nd-y," she said aloud, and then put her pen down. "There."

"The Card becomes your own for the first time after you come this far," Happy lectured from over her shoulder.

"Yes, I learned the hard way."

"Well, I'll be taking a small nap now."

"Good night." She pocketed her two new Cards and smiled guiltily at Chelia. "I'm sorry about today."

"No, I'm happy that I got even better footage than what I would have gotten at the forest park."

"Really?"

"Wendy!" Happy's anguished wail carried clearly through the doorway. "We're in trouble!"

For a moment Wendy thought there was yet another Card wreaking havoc. Then she joined Happy in the living room and realized it was far, far worse than that.

The room, and probably the rest of the house too, had been entirely demolished by Ice's frantic growing. Chairs were toppled over and crystal fragments scattered everywhere; some dishes had been smashed. It was a horrible mess.

"Aah! I have to clean the house all over again."

"I'll help you," Chelia offered, in an automatic gesture of friendship. To her it was a little thing, but Wendy and Happy threw themselves at her feet in gratitude.

"Thank you!" they sobbed.

* * *

"We're home" both Igneel and Natsu called out that evening. They'd arrived at the same time, and kicked off their shoes in the hallway. Right away Natsu noticed how sparkling clean the floor was, and how neatly everything had been arranged in the living room. But of the monster there was no sign.

They finally found her upstairs, on her bed and out for the count, clutching one of her stuffed animals to her as she slept.

"Thank you for doing all the chores today," Igneel said softly. "We'll have some cake later."

"But if you don't put your name on the cake," Natsu threatened, "I'll eat it."

They both backed away and left her in peace, and neither saw her twitch and turn in her sleep at the noise. Neither heard her murmur into her pillow.

"I... wrote my name down properly..."

* * *

**And with that ends an exhausting Sunday morning. Next time: Puppets and Babies? The Strange Case of the Jump Card!**

**Review if you please and anticipate the next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone!**

**How is your day? Ready for the next chapter? Well I hope you are! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Now on with the story…**

**Puppets and Babies? The Strange Case of the Jump Card!**

It was one of those nights where nothing bad could happen. The moon was a pale orb in the sky, the stars blazed merrily. Everything was still; the spring night air was calm. In his bed, a small child slept blissfully, secure in the comfort of his home in this uneventful town. In his sleep he reached to scratch his nose, and then turned over, mumbling some snatch of his dream aloud as he did so. Deep in slumber, he never saw the stuffed animals piled around his bed begin to stir slightly. Content with his own dreams of fancy, he never opened his eyes and saw them begin to float around his head, nor bob in the air. And he never saw the round stuffed panda tumble to the floor and begin to bounce, slowly, toward the window. The panda then jumped out and floated towards the horizon. A lone figure stood atop one of the buildings, a helmet covering his eyes. A whole army of stuff animals swirled around him.

"My baby has returned! Oh joys, now for the next assignment, find the Cardcaptor!" He grinned maliciously.

"Find the Cardcaptor! Find the Cardcaptor!" The animals chanted.

* * *

It was one of those days where nothing bad could happen. Wendy whisked down the street at a fast pace on her rollerblades, taking pleasure in the way the early morning spring breeze teased her hair, blowing it back from her face. It was a gorgeous morning, the sky as pale and fresh as an opal, and Wendy waved exuberantly to her friends as she shot past them on her skates by the park. It was a good day to be alive, a good day to be in Magnolia as a young girl, and she was brimming with cheer as she glided through the town.

The morning sunlight shone with equal cheer on the newly finished glass windows of the shop, reflecting its light upon a beautiful young woman. She brushed a strand of her short white hair over her shoulder as she watched the brawny man heft the last of the boxes onto the sidewalk. He grunted as he stood, then handed a receipt to the young woman.

"Well, there you go."

"Thank you for your hard work," she replied and gave a polite bow, to which he nodded before climbing into his truck and departing. It was done, everything was here, and there was nothing left to do now but unpack.

"Guess I'll get to it."

Wendy rolled to a stop in the street as she saw the young woman lean down and select a box. New paint had been applied to the trim around the door, and there was a new name inscribed on the glass.

"Twin Bells," it read.

_A new shop is going to be here,_ she thought excitedly. _What a nice name._ Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud thump, and an exclamation of annoyance. The woman had dropped her load and stuffed animals were scattered all over the sidewalk. Wendy hurried over to help, kneeling down on her skate pads to pick up the toys before they got too dirty. The woman glanced up, surprised, but there was gratitude in her soft blue eyes.

"Thank you."

"You have a lot of cute plush toys there," Wendy observed happily. The woman smiled at that, and together they collected all the spilled toys. Would it be a toy store, then? Eagerly Wendy pressed her nose against the glass to look inside. It was dark and hard to see, but she could see jumbles of boxes and furniture.

"Is the shop going to open today?" Wendy asked.

"Mm-hmm. I'm Lisanna Strauss. I'm the owner of the shop. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Wendy Dragneel."

"Stop by on your way home from school," Lisanna offered. "By then I should be done with the preparations for the grand opening."

She had to smile at the joyful expression on the little girl's face. Wendy clapped her hands together and beamed.

"Okay see you later!"

* * *

Cheerleading practice was over, and Wendy felt warm with the exercise and the sun beating down on them. Gratefully she leaned forward over the troughs and splashed her face with cold water.

"Hey Wendy!" She glanced up to see Asuka approaching. "Did you know that a new shop is opening?"

"You mean Twin Bells?" Her friend nodded happily, her pigtails bouncing.

"Do you want to stop by there later?"

"That's right…you love plush toys, Asuka."

There was no argument.

"Yes, would you like to come with me?"

"I already promised Chelia that I would go with her." Wendy thought a moment, then smiled. "Let's all go together."

"Yeah okay!"

* * *

Wendy was returning to the main building of the school later to change when she paused. Was it her imagination or –

No. There was a beautiful melody floating through the air, a sweet and dulcet voice singing a tune. It was Chelia's voice, and Wendy followed the sound until she was standing outside the window of the music room. Her friend was gazing dreamily at the piano as she sang.

_Chelia's in the choir_, Wendy was thinking. _She's really good at singing, and has won many competitions. It's such a beautiful voice._ She felt almost as proud as if she was the one singing, and had to stop herself from clapping enthusiastically when the song finally ended. Chelia bowed respectfully toward her music teacher, then noticed Wendy by the window and smiled.

* * *

At last, the five girls left their school and began to walk the route toward the strip of stores in town. Wendy glanced at her friend.

"Chelia, you're looking for a purse, right?" Wendy asked. Her friend nodded.

"I'm troubled by the fact that I don't have the perfect purse to store batteries for my camcorder." Asuka began to think about her purchase, as well.

"Don't you get excited when there's a new store opening?" Asuka smiled.

On this they all knew the answer.

* * *

They had a surprise waiting for them when they arrived, however. The sign on the door announced Twin Bells was open, but the insides were in absolute disarray. Furniture stood in the middle of the floor, waiting to be arranged, and boxes, though they had all been moved inside, were piled haphazardly on and around the tables.

"It looks like the shop isn't open yet…" Wendy observed, "But the sign's up."

"But it's not tidied up at all," Chelia pointed out. Just then Lisanna passed by the window, looking a little harried. She didn't see the box on the floor and stumbled and fell heavily on the floor. The girls winced in sympathy.

"Oh…" the woman groaned. "I did it again." Hastily Wendy pushed open the door and they all spilled through. "Welcome!" Lisanna said, more cheerfully than she felt. "Oh, you're the girl from this morning."

"Hello," Wendy said uncertainly. "I brought my friends with me."

"I'm sorry that everything is so cluttered." The conversation fell to an awkward pause as they all took in the mess, and Lisanna's disheveled appearance. Wendy was the first to voice the girls' thoughts.

"Can we help?" The woman's eyes widened.

"But I can't let my customers do that!"

"But we want to see the cute goodies as soon as we can! Right?"

All the girls agreed immediately. Lisanna smiled hesitantly as she saw their enthusiasm. The children in this town were certainly an agreeable bunch. If they wanted to help, well…

"Thanks girls."

* * *

The girls threw themselves into the effort of aiding Lisanna clean her store. Wendy scrubbed the countertops until they shone, while Chelia busied herself unwrapping boxes. She got a little smile on her face when she noticed her family's name on some of the labels. Lisanna was unpacking toys when a stuffed and smiling star leapt from her hands and bounced merrily down the store's length. Asuka didn't see it in time and tripped over her broom handle trying to avoid the errant toy, and fell directly into a pile of neatly arranged stuffed animals.

_There I go again,_ Lisanna thought unhappily as she saw the young girl whimper and try to rearrange the pile. _Why am I being so clumsy today?_

At long last Lisanna declared it was enough for one day and served them afternoon tea as a thank-you.

"Thank you, everyone. I just moved to this town and I don't know anyone. You've helped me a lot. Here you go."

"Thanks!" Wendy chirped. She reached for a steaming cup and a cookie. "I'll have some." The rest of the girls voiced their appreciation and began to help themselves.

"I guess you can't tell what's in the shop like this," Lisanna murmured. She was looking at the still-empty display shelves. "I'll have it done by tomorrow so that you can come in and relax, so do come visit."

"Yes," Wendy immediately agreed. "Let's come here again tomorrow."

"This really is a wonderful shop," Asuka said blissfully. Chelia grinned.

"This place is especially good for you, Asuka, because you love plush toys."

"Yup! I'm so happy!"

"You like plush toys?" Lisanna asked approvingly.

"Yes, I love them," she replied, then turned to address her friends. "Hey, do you want to come over to my place later? I have a lot more now." They were all watching her, and didn't see the box in the corner shudder, then edge itself off the pile and crash to the ground. Everyone looked up, startled, and saw the huge round panda roll out of the box, then bounce slowly toward Asuka's feet. She looked a little surprised, then reached to pick it up and give it a hug.

"How cute!" She exclaimed.

"I thought it was a soccer ball," Wendy commented. How had the stuffed animal bounced all the way down the store like that?

* * *

The newly-purchased panda sat in a place of honor atop the other plushies, in a small mountain by the window. There were still more in the corner, and another pile on Asuka's bed. The girls sat in the middle of the floor – the only place there was enough room for them – and counted in awe.

"There are all sorts of plushies here," Chelia observed.

"Yeah…" Wendy agreed nervously. To her, it felt as though they were watching.

"This is like a safari park." Asuka nodded happily.

"There are even bigger ones in the living room. I'll show you." They were en route through the house when there was an odd noise in the room they had just left. Asuka paused.

"What was that?" She turned in her stockinged feet uncertainly. "I'll go look." The girls waited patiently, but they were shocked when they heard a yelp of fright. Quickly they rushed back to the bedroom. Asuka was standing in her doorway, rigid with huge eyes.

"What's wrong, Asuka?" Chelia asked.

"The panda plush toy – it's gone!" She cried out.

Sure enough, it had disappeared, vacating its new place by the giraffe. It was nowhere on the floor, and Wendy crossed over the window to take a closer look.

"A burglar?" she ventured. She'd never heard of a thief robbing stuffed animals. The she noticed the window was open a crack. It had not been before.

"Did he run away from here?"

"We ran over here right when we heard the noise," Chelia pointed out. "This is so strange."

It was strange, and they all fell silent, looking helplessly at the window to Asuka's frightened face, back to the window again. A slight breeze rustled the curtain.

* * *

**What happened to the panda plush? Will Wendy solve this mystery? Find out next time on Cardcaptor Wendy!**

**Please review and watch your stuff animals!**


	12. Chapter 6 Part 2

**Hello everyone!**

**Here's the next installment of the Cardcaptor Wendy story! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! So enjoy!**

**Jump for Joy? The Jump Card's Appearance!**

The next day, the sun was shining brightly once more, and the goalie felt a bead of sweat trickle down his face as he tensed in preparation. As the ball zoomed toward the goal, he threw himself to the side, but it was no good. The ball hit the net with a satisfying swish, and the girls in the stands erupted in cheers for the handsome forward who had made the point.

Natsu, as usual, paid no attention to his fans as he took a moment to pause and try to get his breath back. Jellal was helping the team that week, and he slowed as he passed by Natsu and gave a congratulatory clap on his friend's shoulder.

"Nice shot."

From across the yard, Wendy leaned against the chainlink fence that separated the schools and watched her brother play.

"I feel sorry for Asuka…I hope they catch the culprit soon."

"But they say that not only did he leave no fingerprints, there wasn't even any trace that anyone was ever there." Chelia gave a little sigh and rested her chin in her hands.

Behind them, the teacher made a mark in his clipboard and motioned for the next student in line to make the box vault. The boy struggled in his jump and ended up clambering over the obstacle, and the teacher sighed.

"Actually, I heard a disturbing story."

"Disturbing?"

"I was speaking to my mother after I got home, about how there was a burglar at Asuka's house, and she said…"

The teacher beckoned again, and the girl almost fell off in her attempt to clear the vault. He just managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Why did his students insist on being the klutziest class in the entire school?

"A shop where something bad happens to you when you buy things there?" Wendy repeated in disbelief. "You don't mean…getting something stolen?"

"Yes."

"And that's Lisanna's shop?"

At last, the teacher thought, seeing whose name was next on his list. Someone that can actually clear the vault.

"Dragneel!"

"I can't say that for sure. It's a rumor in the toy store industry."

"Dragneel!"

"But don't worry about it too much - "

"Dragneel!" For the first time, Chelia noticed their teacher staring at them, clearly irritated.

"Oh, Wendy!"

Wendy gulped when she saw her teacher's face and hurried to jump the vault. She cleared it easily.

* * *

The two of them went directly to Twin Bells after the last class had finished, and found Lisanna still arranging toys.

"Welcome."

"Hello," Wendy said cheerfully, then felt her blood drain from her face. Chelia saw what she was looking at and gave a little gasp of her own. Lisanna studied their faces warily.

"What's wrong?"

"Lisanna…over there." Wendy raised a trembling hand to point to the pile behind the shop owner. A round panda was resting innocently on top. "That's Asuka's…"

Lisanna whirled around and made a whimpering sound in her throat.

"This again."

"Again?"

"The same thing happened in the shop that I had previously owned in another town," Lisanna began to explain. Her face had gone curiously white and she seemed to have trouble breathing. "Many times in a row. And then the rumors started – that if you shop at my place, your house will be robbed. And the thief was never found. People started thinking I was the thief." She gripped the counter's edge. "Maybe I should just stop being a shop owner."

Both Wendy and Chelia were dismayed. What would Asuka say if she heard this?

"That can't be!" Wendy said hastily. "That would be a waste; this is such a lovely shop!"

Lisanna didn't seem to have heard her.

"There's no way I could have done it by myself," she murmured. "I – I was engaged. He was a designer. But he died in an accident. He loved plush toys, and he told me that he wanted to sell toys that he designed in his own shop."

"Lisanna…"

"If I quit, he'll be sad. But I can't do this anymore."

Her shoulders slumped under the thick masses of her white hair, and she closed her eyes. Both girls were silent, not knowing what could they do, or if indeed, there was anything to be done. Neither knew how to reach out to the sad young woman.

* * *

Happy scratched his furry chin thoughtfully.

"A Fiore Card that collects plush toys? I don't think there are any strange Cards like that. Isn't this probably caused by something else?"

Wendy and Chelia both looked at him hopefully.

"Can you make sure for us, Happy? You can tell if a Fiore Card is present."

"Well, if it's a case-by-case thing."

"If a Card is the problem, I think I can do something about it," Wendy elaborated, her voice pleading. "Please, Happy?"

It was so hard to resist those green eyes. The little cat melted.

"Oh, all right. I'll go with you then."

* * *

Darkness had fallen, and Lisanna was rather surprised that one of the girls had returned to her store. Chelia fixed her with a guileless expression and clasped her hands.

"Lisanna, that tea from the other day was delicious. I would really like to know how you brewed it." She asked.

"S-sure," the woman stammered. She'd never thought her tea was anything exceptional. "That's fine with me."

* * *

Happy breathed a sigh of relief as the woman and the girl disappeared into the back room of the store.

"All right, that part went well."

"We'll look for the Card now, Happy. A round panda is the suspicious one."

"So, we have to find a panda." They entered the store and he floated around the shelves, searching. Wendy went directly to the pile in the back, then frowned.

"It was here this afternoon…" She turned to see Happy sidling up to a stuffed pink cat with a flirtatious gleam in his eye.

"Say, good-looking…"

"What are you doing?" she hissed irritably. Happy grinned and shrugged, then quickly began to search again.

* * *

"The point," Lisanna enunciated, "is to let the water cool down a little after boiling."

"Is that so?"

"Well, I have to get back to the shop." She began to step forward, and Chelia quickly intercepted her.

"Er, Lisanna, I heard that Sri Lanka used to be called Ceylon in the past, and that Ceylon tea is called that because it's picked there."

"Really? So Ceylon was the name of a country. I didn't know that at all."

"And milk tea is supposedly good for improving your stomach's condition."

* * *

Wendy swallowed a groan as she bumped her leg into a table. Tomorrow there was bound to be a bruise.

"If you're not quiet, we'll get caught," Happy said disapprovingly.

I know that, Wendy thought irritably, but before she could reply, Happy perked up.

"I feel a Fiore Card!"

"Where?"

"Under here."

Wendy ducked and caught sight of the panda lolling about beneath the table. It began to bounce away, and she tracked it, pouncing on it before it could escape.

"Got it!"

But Happy was still frowning as he studied the panda.

"Drat, it got away!"

"Got away?"

"Maybe it moved to another toy."

* * *

"And did you know," Chelia lectured, "that video editing doesn't involve cutting and pasting tape? Editing a video involves copying the scenes that you think are good. But when you copy the video quality drops, right? So, you have to use a good camcorder and good tape, and then a good VCR…"

Lisanna was staring at her, a glazed look in her eyes. Chelia flushed and frantically tried to think of a way to keep the conversation going.

_Wendy, if you don't hurry, I'll run out of things to talk about!_

* * *

"No." Happy shook his head at the animal that Wendy was holding. "Nope. Nope. Not that one. Not that one either. No. Nope."

It seemed to Wendy that she held up every toy in the store, but Happy shook his head firmly at them all.

* * *

"Digital video has the best video quality of them all," Chelia babbled. "Although it's nice that digital video can be copied perfectly, there is a tough problem caused by copyrights. And oh, recent camcorders have a long battery life. They have become very useful. Until recently, I had to take a ton of batteries with me for every shoot. And they were really heavy…"

* * *

"I feel a presence here for sure," Happy declared, scowling at the shelves of toys. Wendy was rooting around in a box for another toy to check.

"Maybe it's not here anymore -" She lifted out the last one by its ears, and Happy stiffened.

"That one! That's the Jump Card!"

Huh?

Then Wendy noticed that the little pink animal she'd selected had beady green eyes and was staring at her mockingly. All the toys in the store began to float up from the ground, and then they picked up speed, zooming around the store and banging into the walls.

"Well, well, well, the little Cardcaptor has finally paid my shop a visit!"

Wendy turned around to find herself facing a man with armor covering his whole body. He wore a silver helmet on his head and his tongue was sticking out of his mouth.

"You're the one causing all this chaos?! The Jump Card!" Wendy gritted her teeth as she clenched her fist.

"That's him alright; Bickslow can use manipulation magic. Don't look into his eyes though." Happy advised.

"Aww come on guardian, cut me some slack. It's not every day you find a new Cardcaptor. Let me make this experience one she'll never forget." Bickslow chuckled before sending the stuffed animals to surround Wendy.

Wendy gasped as the stuffed animals spun around her. _I can't find my way out! _She thought.

* * *

**And that's where we're cutting off today. What happens next? Find out next time on Cardcaptor Wendy!**

**As always, please review and keep reading!**


	13. Chapter 6 Part 3

**Hello everyone!**

**If you're like me, then you've been busy with finals and projects, but fear not for I have brought up a new chapter of Cardcaptors! As always, thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows.**

**Wendy decisive battle. Sky versus Jump!**

_To recap last time…_

"_You're the one causing all this chaos?! The Jump Card!" Wendy gritted her teeth as she clenched her fist._

"_That's him alright; Bickslow can use manipulation magic. Don't look into his eyes though." Happy advised. _

"_Aww come on guardian, cut me some slack. It's not every day you find a new Cardcaptor. Let me make this experience one she'll never forget." Bickslow chuckled before sending the stuffed animals to surround Wendy._

_Wendy gasped as the stuffed animals spun around her. I can't find my way out! She thought._

* * *

Chelia was running out of things to distract Lisanna from entering the main part of the shop. But all of a sudden, Lisanna's head jerked up instantly.

"There's someone in the shop!"

"Lisanna!" Chelia tried again to intercept the woman, but there was no holding her back. She burst into the front room and was greeted with the scene of Wendy, standing in the center of a tornado of whirling stuffed animals. It was like a horror movie, and she promptly screamed. Startled, Wendy loosened her grip on her wand and Bickslow managed to get free, then shot through the window, breaking the new glass with a loud shatter. All the flying toys followed, and Lisanna had had enough. She hit the floor.

"Chelia-chan, take care of Lisanna-san!" Wendy tore through the exit, Happy right on her heels. Chelia sighed as she knelt by the now-peaceful woman. What a shame…she wouldn't be able to film her friend this time.

* * *

The toys were heading into the park, and Wendy poured every ounce of energy she had into running them down. She passed the flying plushies, closing the distance between herself and their leader, Bickslow. When at last she was within grabbing reach, she lunged forward, but the wily Card leapt clear just in time. Wendy found herself on the ground, with nothing to show for her efforts.

"Where did it go? Where?"

"Above you!" Happy shouted in warning, and she looked up in time to see some of Bickslow's possessed toys coming right at her. She jumped out of the way to avoid being hit.

"Ooh the Cardcaptor got some spunk in her step! Too bad that won't help you for long." Bickslow taunted her, sending more stuffed animals at her.

Not good, some part of her mind evaluated, and she fumbled for her key as she began to chant.

"Fly!"

Gratefully the magic was still working, and soon she was riding safely on her winged wand. Bickslow was a miniscule speck as he sprang for the trees, and after a moment to regain her breath, Wendy was after it in a swirl of feathers.

"Have you sealed the Card away already?" Wendy looked down to see Chelia standing in the bushes, camera in hand.

"No, I'm about to do it now." Her friend exhaled, clearly relieved.

"Then I made it here in time."

"What about Lisanna-san?"

"She's all right." She raised the camera to focus on Wendy, but they both turned when they saw a bright green light. Bickslow had taken off his helmet and a symbol appeared to glow on his face. "What the - "

Happy flew into their midst.

"What's going on?"

"Bickslow removed his helmet! This is bad!"

The grinning card summoned all the plush toys as they formed a giant monster in the sky.

"Hope you like this Cardcaptor! This will be the last fight you have." He cackled, sending the monster at them.

"It's coming this way!" Wendy shrieked in warning, and they scattered before a huge foot could stamp down on them. "Let's split up and run!"

Happy and Chelia assented, and her friend scurried to the safety of the trees as the monster concentrated on following Wendy, its huge strides eating up the pavement as she sprinted ahead. But it was no good, her little legs just couldn't compare. It wasn't long before it had her cornered between itself and the giant penguin slide. Trapped, Wendy clutched her wand and watched it roar again in victory. Then it raised a huge pink foot.

"Wendy-chan!" Chelia screamed, even as she zoomed in with her camera.

"Use your sky magic!" Happy yelled at her.

Wendy suddenly remembered and her blue magic sealed appeared in front of her.

"SKY DRAGON'S WING ATTACK!" She used the wand to summon razor-like winds towards the monster. It screamed and fell apart from the sheer force of the winds. Bicklsow's eyes winded as she flew towards him with determination in her eyes.

"What how could I be defeated by a small girl!" He shouted.

"Return to the guise you were meant to be in. Fiore Card!" The air swirled before her as Bickslow and his magic were sucked toward the beak of the wand, forming a Card. It had been an exhausting night, and her hand shook slightly as she held it out to receive the newly formed Card.

"Well done, Wendy!" Chelia cheered.

"It was an anticlimatic ending." Wendy admitted, looking at her newly acquired card.

Chelia smiled, but the smile faded as she took in the scene around them.

"Now, this is going to be the hard part."

"What?"

"We have to return the toys to the shop now."

Wendy and Happy's wail of despair echoed through the night.

* * *

"Is this going to be the panda's friend?" Lisanna smiled at Asuka and the lion that she had placed by the cash register.

"Hai, so it won't be lonely. But, it's a mysterious panda." Askua shrugged slightly. "I was surprised when it came back."

"I was surprised when I passed out," Lisanna added dryly, and they both laughed as she rang up the sale. The store was crowded on its first day, and Lisanna had been kept busy as more and more girls poured in to examine the new products, oohing and ahhing over the cute displays. Chelia and Wendy observed it all happily as they stood near the window.

"Lisanna-san seems happy again, and the shop is doing well."

"And you were taught how to brew good tea too, Chelia-chan," Wendy joked. This had been a particularly satisfying capture. "Happy, you said that there wouldn't be a Card stupid enough to collect plush toys." The little creature in her backpack shrugged.

"Well, Bickslow's magic does allow him to put souls inside different inanimate objects."

Wendy laughed at that as she turned to go, but she didn't see the leg of the card stand in time and tripped and fell heavily. Chelia winced at the crash as the card stand followed a second later. Everyone in the store turned to look, and Wendy felt her face grow hot as Lisanna rushed over.

"Wendy-chan! Are you all right?"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Guess it wasn't just Jump that was troubling Lisanna-san," Happy muttered in her backpack.

Silly Wendy…..

* * *

**That's it for today! Next time: Wendy and the Memory of her Mother! Can Wendy see past the Illusion Cards magic? Tune in next time to find out.**


	14. Chapter 7

**Hey Everybody!**

**Woah! How long has it been since I've updated? Quite a while I suppose! So I'll give you guys a longer chapter today so to make up for it. Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I had a nice PM from a fan who gave me the next ideas for the cards. Thanks!**

**Wendy and the Memory of her Mother**

"_That day, I was already late. So I considered taking a shortcut, and went through the woods behind the school."_

_The sun was just a memory in the sky; the only light was from the afterglow of the sunset. Beneath the sheltering treetops, the forest was already almost as dark as night. Through it crept a hesitant schoolgirl. She reached to brush her smooth brown hair back from her face, and then jumped as a crow took flight, startling her._

_**Whew,**__ she thought. __**That was scary**__. Then she stiffened. A tiny glowing dot was dancing in the air some ways before her._

_A firefly?_

_She'd never seen a firefly with a bluish glow like that, but it was so beautiful that she was intrigued, and took a step forward. Immediately the tiny dot zoomed off through the trees, and the schoolgirl took off in hot pursuit. After racing through the gloomy forest for a minute, the tiny glow came to an abrupt halt, and she did too. They had almost reached the edge of the forest. Was it her imagination, or was it becoming bigger?_

_The girl took a careful step. It was not her imagination; it was definitely growing. Larger, and larger, until her entire vision was filled by the beautiful light. She had to squint to make out the shape coming for her. It was getting bigger, and darker, and –_

_The furry one-eyed serpent was almost upon her before she had the presence of mind to run._

* * *

Wendy shrieked in terror, interrupting Asuka's tale and causing the ears of everyone near to ring loudly. Chelia winced and clapped her hands over her ears.

"Wendy-chan!"

There was no darkness, no forest, only the busy and active schoolyard where Wendy and her friends were gathered for cheerleading practice. Wendy reddened when she saw how everyone was looking at her, but she was still shaking.

"Sorry." Chelia shook her head, then returned her attention to Asuka.

"Asuka-chan, is that story true?" The storyteller nodded her brown eyes widen.

"Yes, it is."

"Can it be that you saw something else?"

"No way."

"Let's stop talking about that," Wendy pleaded. "I can't stand scary stories."

The others paid no attention. Chelia's eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"Hey…why don't we see if that story is true? We'll be done with practice early today."

"But…but…but…" Wendy faltered.

"What?"

"You know, those woods…the other end is like a cliff. It's dangerous."

"It'll be okay if we don't go near that."

"B-but if a ghost really appeared - "

"It'll be fine if we run away as soon as it show up."

"B-but…"

"I'm saying," Chelia interrupted impatiently, "it'll be okay."

Wendy thought it was far from okay, but before she could say anything, a whistle sounded. Asuka glanced at their instructor.

"Oh, break is over."

"Let's go." The other two skipped away, leaving Sakura to follow with heavy steps. She hated scary stories, hated ghosts, and more than anything she hated being put in a position where she was the only one scared.

_Why does everyone like scary stories? Scary things might happen._

* * *

"Hey," Wendy said brightly, as if the idea had just occurred to her. "Why don't we not go after all?"

"It's all right," Chelia said encouragingly. "It's still light out."

That was true, but as the three girls wandered down the path through the woods, that light was fading rapidly. It got dark so quickly under the cover of the trees. But nobody else seemed concerned.

"Yes I agree," Asuka chimed in, "there's nothing to worry about."

"You know," Chelia said chattily, "it's almost my mother's birthday. What do you think I should get her as a gift?"

"Your mother likes to bake sweets, Chelia-chan. Perhaps a cute cake plate."

"A cake plate. Hmm…What do you think, Wendy-chan?" The words were out before she could stop them, and Chelia clapped a hand over her mouth. How could she have said that?

Wendy saw her friend's expression and hastily put on a smile.

"It's all right, don't worry about it." She didn't blame Chelia. It was so easy to forget that she was the only one in the group with no mother. But the conversation got her thinking about what time of the year it was, and a little smile played across her face. Was it late May already?

_That's right,_ she thought fondly. _Next Sunday is my mother's…_

* * *

"This way," Asuka declared, and led them onto a smaller, less-used path as it continued to grow darker. A bird cawed loudly and took flight from a low branch, causing Wendy to whimper and clutch at Chelia's shirt.

"It's a crow," Chelia said calmly. Drat her. Didn't she ever get scared?

The girls at last made their way to the edge of the trees, where before them Fiore spread out in the dying rays of the sun. The steep incline of the earth had led engineers to construct a terrace for the highway below, creating a steep drop-off that led from the forest's edge to the road. A railing had been built for safety, though now it was twisted and broken. A bird chirped in the woods behind them; other than that, it was perfectly peaceful and silent.

"It was here."

"But there's nothing here."

"Maybe it doesn't come out unless it's night."

Their wonderings were cut short by the sudden appearance of a blue glow by the old railing. Wendy's eyes widened and she began to breathe harder.

_Run_, her mind screamed, but her feet were frozen to the grass below her. The glow was growing larger and larger, until it seemed there was nothing in the world but the eerie blue light. And something was emerging from that light. It was hazy, unclear, but getting bigger. Wendy managed to hang on until the creepy image of the woman was coming directly toward her, and then she snapped.

Screaming in unison, all the girls tore back through the woods, Wendy dragging a nonplussed Chelia behind her. They ran and ran, until they reached the main path and stopped to regain their breath. All their eyes were dilated wide with fear and adrenaline, and they clutched at each other for support.

"A long-haired woman!" Wendy wailed into Chelia's shoulder.

"A blurry, pointy-eared - " Asuka whimpered

"A one-eyed, round - "

"A pink thing with a wide mouth and fangs!"

"A large pumpkin."

What?

The two of them stopped their frantic cries to shoot surprised looks at Chelia. She was smiling cheerfully.

"I mean, what I saw was a large pumpkin."

No, there had been a ghost. Wendy had seen it. They had all been scared. What was Chelia raving on about? Sakura had only one word to describe her friend's enigmatic statement.

"What?"

* * *

Wendy squeezed her eyes shut as she sudsed up her hair in the bathtub later that evening.

"It was really scary!" She squealed.

Happy scowled as he concentrated on his backstroke.

"What, you're scared of ghosts?" He asked her.

"Yes, I'm scared!"

"Even though you're fine when you fight Fiore Cards?"

"If I don't know what something is, I can't stand it. At least with Fiore Cards I know what they are."

Happy thought it was twisted logic, but didn't want to question it.

"That's some reasoning that I kinda understand, and kinda don't. But, everyone saw something different, right? Hmm…was there such a Card?"

Igneel's voice carried up the stairs. "It's time for dinner!"

"Okay!" Wendy shouted in reply, and began to rinse her hair. "I wish you would turn back into your true form and become my bodyguard, Happy."

"If you want to do that, then you have to at least capture the Cards that govern fire and earth." He puffed out his chest in anticipation. "My true form is really cool!"

"Cool?"

It seemed difficult to believe. Wendy pictured a winged and stuffed kitty cat that was as tall as a building. To her it seemed goofier than anything else.

* * *

Wendy looked appreciatively at her dinner as Igneel set out the plates.

"Wow! It looks delicious!"

"You like noodles, right, Wendy?"

"Yes!" Her attention was caught by a framed photo sitting by the flower vase. She hadn't seen this one before; her father had probably put it out for Sunday. "Oh, I love this photo. It's from when Momma was sixteen, right?" Her father nodded, just the tiniest hint of pain showing in his gentle eyes as his daughter picked up the frame to study the photo more closely.

Grandine had begun modeling in junior high. Wendy's father had saved every one of her photos, professional or otherwise, and there were many. She hadn't seen this particular one before, but Wendy thought it was more beautiful than any of them. Her mother was undeniably lovely, with a finely chiseled face and crystal green eyes that seemed alive even in the photo. Her thick and wavy blue hair cascaded over her shoulders and almost down into her lap, practically a part of the ruffled and romantic dress she wore. A ribbon tied with a white flower around her neck gave it the final touch.

"Momma is beautiful!"

"Yes," Igneel said wistfully. "She is the most beautiful, kind, and lovely person in the world."

Wendy brushed a fingertip over her mother's face. She had only been three when Grandine left this world, and she had no personal conscious memories of her mother. But her father told her stories about her all the time, and Wendy loved her.

"Now, if you don't eat quickly, your food will get cold."

"Yes. And if you don't hurry, Dad, you'll miss the bullet train."

"Yes." He chuckled lightly.

* * *

Happy drifted over Wendy's right shoulder, watching her scrub the dishes.

"So your dad and older brother are both out?"

"Natsu is at work. Dad has another presentation and is out of town," she explained, then grinned. "Dad made some pudding before he left. Let's eat it together, including my brother's share." She winked, and Happy erupted in cheers.

"Pudding! Pudding!" In the other room, the phone rang. "Oh, I'll get it." He fluttered out of the kitchen and returned a moment later toting the black phone that was almost bigger than he was. Wendy waited until he held it up to her ear.

"Hello, Dragneel residence. Chelia? What's wrong?" Her hands stopped moving as her friend spoke. "She went into the woods again?"

"Yes, I had a call from Asuka. Apparently, she went again with another group of squad members, and the ghost showed up again, she said."

Wendy had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Somehow, she already knew exactly what this meant for her.

* * *

Happy shook his head as he eyed Wendy in the dark woods. It was a pink rabbit costume this time, complete with a fluffy tail and large ears. Her appearance was kooky enough, but the fact that she was shivering from bunny ear to toe made it even worse. She looked as though she might bolt at any second.

"What's this? How is the Cardcaptor scared of something like this?" Happy questioned.

"But - " Wendy whimpered, and did not finish what she had intended to say. Chelia lowered the camera and gave her friend a concerned look.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm not all right, but – people got hurt, right?"

"Yes. Asuka-chan went with a group of about five people, but they all panicked when the ghost appeared, and they tripped and such. I heard it was a mess."

Wendy gripped her wand a little tighter.

"If it's a Fiore Card, I have to catch it!"

"That's more like the Cardcaptor who upholds the peace in the neighborhood," Happy observed approvingly.

"But what should I do if it's a ghost?"

_Oh brother_. Happy rolled his eyes.

"In any case, we won't have a story unless we find out for sure!"

"Yes…"

"Then shall we go?" The words were barely out of Chelia's mouth when a glowing blue dot winked into existence by the trees.

"Wendy!" Happy shouted excitedly, and Wendy nodded.

"Fly!" Her back sprouted feathery wings, and she zoomed off in pursuit of the dot as it flew through the trees. Zipping in and out through the obstacles and avoiding branches, Wendy got a little of her confidence back and started to breathe again. Maybe she could do this after all.

The glow returned to the drop-off, just as it had earlier in the evening. She fluttered towards the ground, wand in hand, and clutched it defensively.

_All right, I'm here. Now what are you?_

The image was coming forward again, and she tensed in preparation. It was definitely a woman, with long wavy hair that floated around her head like a soft cloud. Closer…closer…at last Wendy could see the face. And she almost dropped her wand.

"M-M-Momma?"

It was her. There could be no mistake; Wendy had been looking at her photo only hours earlier. Those hauntingly familiar green eyes twinkled as she drifted above the ground and held out her arms for her daughter.

* * *

**Cliffhanger! What's going to happen to our little Cardcaptor next? Find out next time: Seeing is Believing! Sky versus Illusion!**

**Please review, favorite, or follow and watch out for ghost! **


	15. Chapter 7 Part 2

**Hello readers!**

**How was everyone's Halloween? I hope it went well because I have the next chapter up and ready.**

**Many of you have asked when Romeo will be appearing. So I figured to let you wait one more chapter( which is this one) before announcing the male lead of the story!**

**That's right! Next chapter Romeo will appear! Squee!~**

**As always thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows!**

**Enjoy!**

**Seeing is Believing! Sky vs. Illusion!**

_Previously on Cardcaptor Wendy…_

_The image was coming forward again, and she tensed in preparation. It was definitely a woman, with long wavy hair that floated around her head like a soft cloud. Closer…closer…at last Wendy could see the face. And she almost dropped her wand._

"_M-M-Momma?"_

* * *

_It was her. There could be no mistake; Wendy had been looking at her photo only hours earlier. Those hauntingly familiar green eyes twinkled as she drifted above the ground and held out her arms for her daughter._

Mother? Really?" Without being quite aware of it, Wendy was walking forward, drawn to the figure before her. Her wildest dreams had come true. Her mother had returned for her. She didn't even hear Happy shouting her name.

"Wendy! What's wrong! Wendy!" He shot toward the Cardcaptor, but crashed into a shield of potent magical energy. The impact shocked him as much as it had physically hurt, and left him to flutter dazedly to the ground.

"Happy!" Chelia hurried to pick him up, then looked at her friend again. Wendy was walking as if in a trance; she seemed to be hypnotized by the eerie glow. "Wendy!" she shouted frantically. "The cliff is that way!"

Wendy couldn't hear her friend, and wouldn't have listened even if she could. All that mattered was that her mother had come back for her, and was close by. She was so close, tantalizingly so. Wendy held out a hand, but the image always seemed to be just beyond her reach. Again she stepped forward, and again, and again, and had almost managed to touch when the solid ground disappeared beneath her feet.

"Wendy! Wendy!" Chelia screamed her name over and over, aware that she wasn't getting through but having to do something. Panic bubbled up inside her when she saw her friend tumble over the edge of the cliff. "Wendy!"

The air whistled past her ears as Wendy fell, but she really couldn't bring herself to care. Everything was so hazy…she had just seen her mother, but now she couldn't see her any more. Where had her mother gone? What was going on? Her thoughts were clouded, and she didn't recognize the warm and comforting presence that enveloped her. Subconsciously she understood it, however, and relinquished conscious thought entirely to give herself over to the blanketing comfort. She wasn't awake to feel the buoyancy, how her freefall was softened to a gradual descent, until she was practically floating down to earth.

"Wendy!"

* * *

The ringing shriek startled Jellal, on his way home after night school, and he looked up to see the astonishing sight of Wendy falling right toward him. Instinctively the teenager dropped his bags and rushed forward to hold out his arms, just in time to catch the unconscious girl. It was amazing how light she was, it felt as though she weighed nothing at all.

"Wendy!" He looked up again and saw Chelia kneeling over the edge of the cliff, peering down into the darkness. He flashed her a reassuring smile.

"It's all right," he called out. "Wendy's all right."

Chelia almost collapsed with relief.

* * *

It was dark, and peaceful. No, it wasn't dark. Her eyes were closed. Diffidently, Wendy opened them to see a strange room. It looked like someone's bedroom, but she couldn't think who it might belong to.

Just then a door slid open and Jellal entered. He smiled at Wendy's confused expression.

"Are you awake?"

"Jellal! This is…"

"This is my house."

Wow. His house. She'd never been inside it, and she felt a tingle of excitement go through her, even as tired and confused as she was. For the first time she noticed she was wearing a strange white T-shirt.

"Huh? These clothes?"

"The, um, clothes you were wearing are in the laundry. My sister changed your clothes." He handed her a glass of some liquid, and she realized how thirsty she was. As she sipped it, she remembered now how her brother had spoken of Jellal's home. He lived only with his sister Meredy.

"Er, thank you very much."

"Wendy, you fell off the cliff. Do you remember that?"

_I did?_

She shook her head, and a worried look crossed his face.

"I see. I was surprised. There I was, walking along, and you fell from the sky."

Things were starting to come back to her now. What had happened to her friends?

"They – you – Jellal…where's Chelia?"

"She went home as soon as she saw you were safe. She also took the blue cat plushie with her."

"Now then," he pushed her gently back down among the linens, "rest a little more."

Wendy was still so tired. She allowed him to tuck the sheets under her chin, and stroke her hair back from her face, delighting in his touch. Jellal was so kind.

"Jellal," she murmured dreamily, "I met…my mother on top of the cliff. I wonder if that's my mother's ghost." His brown eyes widened a bit. "My big brother told me long ago that there are reasons why ghosts appear. Why is Momma in a place like that?"

Jellal hesitated. This was tricky territory.

"But, if it was really your mother, Wendy, do you think she would put you in danger?"

* * *

Natsu shifted Wendy slightly on his back so that he had a better grip, and then continued walking. Jellal had offered to help carry her, which he refused, so his friend walked alongside instead for company. Wendy was completely out of it, and she rested her head against his shoulder as he walked, dreaming sweetly.

"Sorry for the trouble, Jellal."

"No…" Jellal waved a negligent hand, dismissing the apology, and then gave Natsu a serious look. "Wendy said she met her mother in the woods behind the elementary school." He observed carefully Natsu's startled reaction. "Have you seen her too? Your late mother."

Natsu hesitated. He never spoke about this, not even to his own father. But Jellal had an open, accepting look about him.

"I have, but not behind the school. It's my fault that she can't stand ghosts and the sort. Ever since she was little, I kept telling her about the lady with the transparent body over there. Or how a grandfather with white hair was floating in midair."

Natsu felt a twinge of guilt, remembering how he had tortured his little sister when they were younger. The images had all been so real to him then, he had been so sure. Now when he looked back, he didn't really know if it had been real, or if he had persisted in 'seeing them' because it was so much fun to scare Wendy.

"So that's how Wendy became so scared of them," Jellal ventured. Natsu nodded.

"She can't see them, but can at least sense them. She was always crying without me saying anything." Probably his overactive imagination had given her ideas of her own. It hadn't taken much teasing before she was convinced that she was always surrounded by malignant spirits.

"Do you still see your mother any?" Jellal inquired. There was nothing in the least judgmental in his tone, but Natsu still felt a little uncomfortable. It wasn't every day that people started chatting about how they could see dead people. Or whether they thought they could see dead people.

"No. She was gone by the time I started junior high." He glanced over his shoulder to his sleeping sister. She seemed so delicate and frail like this. "I guess she's lonely because we don't have a mother."

Jellal shook his head thoughtfully. He didn't think Wendy had invented an apparition, for that or any other reason.

"I don't think that's quite it. But maybe it can't be helped that she wants to meet her if she can. Wendy has a lot of things on her mind, too, so don't scold her about what happened today." He smiled as he saw Natsu glance back at his sister again, a rare expression of concern on his face.

_He hides it so well. But every now and then, you can see how much he loves her. _Jellal thought to himself.

"But if you really like Wendy so much, you should stop making fun of her."

"The only one who can play with her is me," the brother said firmly, possessively.

"Have you ever heard of a 'sister complex'?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Wendy put her book down at the sound of the knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in!"

"Wendy," Chelia greeted her upon pushing open the door.

"Chelia nice to see you!"

"Are you all right? You weren't at school today."

"Yes, I'm fine." Wendy gave her friend her biggest smile, trying to allay her fears. Chelia had a worried look in her violet eyes. "Natsu told me to stay home today."

Chelia was toting a picnic basket on one arm and she set it down on the covers. Happy pushed open the lid and floated out to sit on her book. He was carrying a red blossom in his mouth, and this he laid before her with a guilty look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I couldn't do anything."

"Happy, no." She shook her head at his apology even as she lifted the flower to her nose and inhaled. "Thank you, this smells good."

"But what in the world was that light?" Wendy smiled a little, and then lifted the framed photo from the shelf behind her head. She'd brought it up from the kitchen that morning.

"My mother was there in those woods."

Both Chelia and Happy looked a little surprised, then they exchanged glances.

"But what everybody saw was different. You're the only one that saw a woman, Wendy." Chelia pondered aloud.

"I don't think we should go through with it this time." Wendy looked at Happy, alarmed. "I don't know if it's a Fiore Card, or a real ghost. But the energy was powerful enough to fling me away and knock me unconscious. I was the one who asked you to find the Cards, but I don't want to hurt you or make you cry, Wendy!"

"Oh Happy…" Wendy looked fondly at her guardian. "You're kind of cool, Happy!" She clutched him to her chest in a sudden hug, while he vainly tried to wriggle free.

"Hey, I'm always cool!" She rubbed him on his head before releasing him and turned serious again.

"But I'll go again anyway."

"Wendy!" they both uttered, horrified.

"If it's a Card, I have to do something about it. And if it's Momma…" She put down the photo and crept out of bed to cross over to the window. Outside, the May sky was a beautiful shade of azure. "My brother told me once; Momma is no longer here. Because I got older, she felt relieved and went to a very beautiful place up in the sky. So, why is Momma there?" She wrinkled her nose, referring to the lonely cliff. "I want to see if she wants to tell me something."

Both Happy and Chelia were silent. Neither knew what to say to the lonely, motherless girl.

* * *

Once again the three of them were in the woods that evening; once again they watched the sky darken from pale to rich velvety blue. This time Wendy's outfit was even more outlandish, a bright lemon yellow material that left her arms bare but flared out into a skirt that resembled an open umbrella, no doubt an inspiration from the recent capture of the Water Card. All the same, it felt strange, and Wendy fidgeted as Chelia checked her camera's battery life.

"Please be careful, Wendy."

"Don't fall off the cliff again," Happy instructed her seriously. "Be really careful."

Chelia raised the camera to scan the area.

"But will it reappear so conveniently for us?" Happy floated into the view of the lens.

"It will! My hunches never go wrong." The words were barely out of his mouth when the camera girl caught sight of a blue twinkle behind his shoulder.

"It's appeared!"

"Wendy!"

All three of them waited tensely, and sure enough, a beautiful woman materialized in the air. Chelia gasped when she recognized the image from the photo.

"Wendy's mother!"

"Just like the photo," Happy agreed. "But why can all of us see the same thing this time?"

Wendy wasn't concerned about that. She took a step forward to reach out to the woman.

"Are you really my mother?" she whispered. "Why are you here?" She took another step as the image moved back. "Are you lonely?" Another step. "Do you want me to be with you?" Another step. Grandine was retreating before her, smiling that beautiful smile again and holding out her arms in welcome. But she was moving back too fast. "Wait! Don't go, Momma! Wait!"

Happy saw the danger and tried to fly closer.

"No! If you go that way -" His words were cut short as he crashed into the shield again.

"Happy!" Chelia hurried to pick him up.

"W-Wendy," he was muttering, dazed. Wendy had almost reached the edge of the cliff again. She was so close… if she could just reach out a little more –

"Momma!"

Once again the ground disappeared beneath her feet, once again there was the shock of the sudden pull of gravity. Wendy watched the road rush up to meet her.

Why?

"_But, if it was really your mother, do you think she would put you in danger?"_

No! Momma would never do something like this! She wouldn't!

"Fly!" Wendy returned to reality in an instant and struck the Card as she hurtled downward. Faster than ever before, her back sprouted wings and she whipped into a lateral glide just before hitting the pavement. Then she started climbing, up, up, back to where the image of Grandine still floated.

"Wendy!" her friends cried, relieved.

"You are not my mother," Wendy snapped, landing safely on the grass. "Who are you?"

The spell was broken. She watched the apparition fade and blur, like a bad signal from a TV antenna. For a brief moment, a distinctive pattern was revealed, then it faded again.

"I know that pattern!" Happy yelped. "It's a Fiore Card after all!" The pattern returned, and Wendy raised her wand.

"Return to the guise you were meant to be in! Fiore Card!" She struck the air before her and the shape of the long-haired woman was erased for good as all the Card's magic was sucked toward the beak. Wendy was trembling by the time the Card was formed, and it floated toward her hand.

"You did it!" Chelia cheered. Happy checked the name on the Card.

"It was the Illusion Card. That's why what everyone saw was different."

"What do you mean?"

"Illusion is a Card that shows people what they want to see. It shows what's in their hearts. So it's normal for it to be different for everyone."

"That reminds me. When I first came here, I was hungry, and thinking how I wanted to eat pumpkin."

"The ghosts that everyone saw were basically things that they were thinking would be scary if it appeared. The reason we saw Wendy's mother earlier was because we were shown her photo, and because we were all thinking she would appear."

"Then why were you thrown back, Happy?"

"It just shows how strong Wendy's feelings of happiness were from seeing her mother."

Wendy half-listened to the conversation going on around her as she gazed at the Card. It was hard to define what she was feeling right now. There was disappointment, to be sure, and grief, but a curious lightness as well. A tear slid down one cheek.

"I'm glad that Momma isn't all alone here," she stated bravely. "I would be happy if I could see her. But I would be even happier if she was in the beautiful place in the sky."

Happy was silent for a moment, then he patted her on the shoulder.

"Wendy, you did well. I'm sure your mother is resting with a sense of relief." Then he thought about what a close call she had had the night before. "Well, maybe she was just a little bit worried this time."

* * *

Wendy's panicked cry echoed throughout the house, shattering the early morning calm.

"I'm gonna be late!" A short blur in blue whisked past Natsu as he sat at the table, munching breakfast and scanning the headlines.

"You're in your uniform on a Sunday?"

"Cheerleading practice!" She inhaled a biscuit and gulped down some milk. "Thanks, that was good." She was almost out the door before she remembered what day it was, and returned to stand before the photo. "Happy birthday, Momma. I love you." She placed a tiny present on the table in front of the frame, and bowed respectfully. Amused but pleased, Natsu glanced up. What he saw almost made him spit out his morning tea.

She was there. His mother, Grandine Dragneel, was right there in front of him, hovering over his sister and smiling. Wendy seemed completely oblivious as she grinned at him and turned to leave.

"Well, I'm going now."

It's my imagination, he thought frantically. Surely it can't be her, I don't see things like that anymore, I haven't seen things like that in a long time.

Dazed, he turned his head to watch Wendy skip from the room, sure that when he turned back, the image would be gone. But no. She was still there, her translucent dress and wavy hair floating around her like a pale mist. Her face was perfectly clear, though, and there was a fond twinkle in her green eyes as she looked at her astonished son.

"_I was just a little worried this time,"_ she explained, _"so I came by. But it looks like she's all right now."_ Every detail was exactly as he remembered it. Her voice, her face, everything. She reached up to give him a little wave, and he could see the golden glow of the ring on her left hand. Even the wedding ring was still there.

She waited long enough for Natsu to work up the nerve to return her smile, and then she faded into nothingness. There was nothing left but the blue sky in the window behind her, but Natsu didn't stop smiling.

_It wasn't my imagination; it never was my imagination. I can't believe it, but it's true. She really is out there watching us. She never left._

Outside, Natsu finished strapping on her blades and began to skate. She was smiling.

* * *

**What a shocking ending! But now for the preview of the next episode! Wendy's Rival! The Mysterious Romeo Conbalt!**

**A new student transfer turns out to be quite the Cardcaptor. Will Wendy finally have met her match? And what's with this Lighting Dragon Slayer attacking the town?**

**Review, fav, or, follow and see ya then!**


	16. Chapter 8

**Hey Everybody!**

**How's your week going? With Thanksgiving around the corner, let's be thankful I found the time to update! A lot of you are concerned that I've skipped an episode in the series. Well…I wanted to do that episode, but due to SO many requests, I've decided to have Romeo appear! Sorry if you want to see the Silent card, but if you have any suggestions for who it should be, feel free to give me a suggestion!**

**Without further ado…**

**Wendy's Rival! The Mysterious Romeo Conbalt!**

_**I've been here before**__, Wendy thought dreamily. _

_Through a haze in her mind she watched the lights of the Kardia Cathedral bounce off the building and reflects upwards, meeting the lights of the stars shining downward. It was all very beautiful, but she wondered what she was doing there. She clutched her staff a little tighter to her as the Cards fluttered around her in the breeze._

_She had seen all this before; she had been here before. But this time there was something different. This time it wasn't her that stood on the edge of the rooftop, preparing to jump. This time it was someone else._

_**Who is that? It's not me.**_

_He was elegantly dressed, in robes of a rich fiery red that rippled with the breeze. There was foreign, exotic look to them and they suited the boy that wore them well. Who was he? He didn't look any older than she was, though it was hard to tell. She couldn't see his face. Black hair hung over his eyes, creating a shadow. Dimly she realized that his lips were moving, though she could hear no sound. Then, abruptly, he raised a sword and leapt out into the air, holding his blade as if to strike…_

* * *

Happy hovered above the bed, watching Wendy toss and turn. She was groaning slightly and twisting so violently that her sheets were becoming a tangled mess.

"Hey, Wendy…what's wrong?" She didn't wake, and he drifted closer to her face and spoke louder. "Wendy? Wendy? Wake up, Wendy!"

Somehow at last he penetrated her consciousness and her eyes fluttered open to see his round blue face peering anxiously into her own.

"Aaaah!" She shrieked and jolted upright, sending the little creature flying to the foot of her bed.

"Hey!" He raised his head from the rumpled covers. "Wendy, I was worried about you because you seemed to be having a nightmare."

She gave a guilty cringe.

"I – I'm sorry, I really am. I just had a weird dream."

"A weird dream?"

"I've seen it before, a dream of the Kardia Catheral at night. And a boy wearing strange clothes was in it."

"Strange clothes?" Happy frowned and was about to ask something else when there was a knock on the door. He barely had time to stiffen and fall down against the covers before Natsu had pushed it open. Wendy pulled the covers up to her chin.

"Natsu!"

"Were you having a nightmare? I thought I kinda heard your voice." He was trying to act irritated, but Wendy heard the concern anyway.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just had a weird dream." She did her best to look blasé, and he relaxed.

"I see. Just grunts from the monster." She gasped in annoyance.

"What did you say?" He saw the pillow she threw just in time and pulled the door shut, leaving her alone.

"Sheesh!" Happy sighed, and fluttered to the shelf behind her head. "My shoulders were getting tense!" The door opened again, and Happy straightened his back.

"What is it?" Wendy asked nervously. Was it her imagination, or was Natsu staring at Happy?

"Breakfast is ready, so hurry up and come down." He closed the door once more, and both Wendy and Happy sagged with relief.

* * *

It looked as though it would be a beautiful day. Wendy pushed open her window and savored the early morning breeze.

"I am not a monster," she grumbled to herself. Happy was more concerned about their earlier conversation.

"About that dream you had just now. Wendy, you have magic, no matter how large or small the power is. So that dream might be a – a foretelling dream."

"A foretelling dream?"

"In other words, you might end up meeting that guy in strange clothes in the future."

Wendy tensed slightly. She couldn't quite explain it, but Happy's words gave her an uneasy feeling.

_I was just getting used to the business of collecting the Cards. Why do I have a feeling that everything's about to change on me?_

* * *

"Wendy you're going to be late!"

"Coming!" Rapidly Wendy finished snapping the latches on her blades, then pulled on her wrist-guards. "Natsu wait up!" She knew her brother had just left, and he never bothered to wait for her. Why couldn't he be decent and let her have that much?

Igneel was holding the front gate open and gave her a fond smile as she glided through the yard.

"Take care!"

"See you later!" She gave one last farewell wave to her father before pouring all her energy into the skating, eating up the pavement with long smooth strides. She turned the corner and found her efforts were not in vain; Natsu was just ahead of her. Relieved, she fell in beside him.

"You eat way too much breakfast," he commented, in answer to her unspoken rebuke.

"But - "

"Hey, Jellal!" He cut her off with a wave of greeting to his friend, waiting by the tree as he always did.

"Good morning!"

Wendy's mood was improved instantly, and happily she glided between the two of them on their way to school. She was drinking in Jellal's profile when he turned to her.

"Did you have sweet dreams last night?"

It was so unexpected that Wendy was caught unawares.

"Dream?"

"Apparently wasn't such a good dream," Natsu answered instead. "I heard huge groans all the way to my room, like some monster."

"Shut up Natsu!" Wendy said, blushing.

"Was it a scary dream?" Jellal questioned, and Wendy tried to ignore her brother.

"No. It was more like a strange dream."

"I see. There are things called foretelling dreams, you know."

Wendy drew her breath in sharply. He'd almost repeated Happy's statement, word for word.

"Actually," Jellal continued, "I had a foretelling dream myself last night. In the dream, my breakfast was a roasted fish. And I really had fish for breakfast. I was so happy; I had six more bowls of rice!"

Wendy almost lost her skating rhythm at that, but Natsu just laughed. He didn't understand how someone as skinny as Jellal could eat so much, but he'd stopped wondering a long time ago. That was just the way he was.

* * *

The bells in the tower softly chimed as students gathered in their homeroom class. Chelia studied her friend with a perceptive air.

"You are in a good mood today, Wendy."

"I was together with Jellal until I got to school today," Wendy answered blissfully.

"That's wonderful!"

"Oh, and I got this too." She opened her hands to reveal a small hard piece of candy. She liked the brand just fine, but that wasn't what made the smile grow on her face. She was remembering how he had turned on his bike as he rode on to his school, a friendly smile shining from his eyes. "See you later!" he had called out, and tossed her a piece of candy which she caught in midair. It was a present from her cherished one, and therefore Sakura cherished it as well.

"He always carries food around, doesn't he?" Chelia commented, and Wendy nodded.

"Yeah, Jellal seems to eat a lot."

"Isn't it good that he's so healthy?"

There were lots of good things about Jellal that superseded his health, in Wendy's opinion, but she nodded again anyway.

"Yeah I guess so…"

The bell rung again as the teacher entered the room, the students scurrying to their seats. He cleared his throat as the classroom grew silent.

"Today, I'll introduce you to a new transfer student. Come on in." The door began to slide open, and students whispered to one another in surprise.

"It's unusual to have a transfer student at this time of year," Chelia murmured, and Wendy nodded in agreement. Her mind was still on Jellal and she wasn't really paying attention to the room around her, but that was before she looked up and made eye contact with the new student.

"Huh…?"

He was not exceptionally tall, or exceptionally short. He was dressed in the same uniform as any other male student in the room. Scruffy black hair fell in bangs, almost overshadowing his eyes. Almost, but not quite. Those eyes were a deep, dark blue, and they were glittering with hostility. Paying no attention to the whispered conversations around him, he directed his glare to Wendy and Wendy only, the fierce gaze boring into her until she felt almost a tangible physical effect. Shrinking into her chair, she wondered if it was just her imagination that he was staring at her.

"Wendy," Chelia said uncertainly, "are you being stared at?"

Then again, maybe it wasn't.

"Romeo Conbolt," The teacher announced upon writing the name on the board. "He's from Hargeon. Everybody please be nice to him. Now, his seat, let me see…" His eyes roved over the class before settling on the back corner where Wendy sat, shivering. "Ah. The seat behind Miss Dragneel is empty."

_What?_ Wendy wailed inwardly. _How can the seat behind me be empty? He can't sit there. Anywhere but there!_

But the new boy had already started in her direction, never dropping his stare for a moment. She glanced down at her desk, then up again to see if he was still staring, then down again. Finally she glanced up to see that he had come to a stop right in front of her.

_Why? Please stop looking at me…please stop it! I don't know you!_

Chelia broke the silence at last, indicated the empty seat behind Sakura.

"Your seat is over here, please." It was obvious Romeo's behavior bothered her as much as Wendy. But the girl in pigtails didn't feel any better as the new boy finally settled himself into the chair behind her. Now she could feel all the hairs on the back of her neck rise, and she knew without a shadow of doubt, that he was continuing the glare.

* * *

The back corner of the school building, near the chain-link fence, was deserted and Wendy fidgeted a little as he continued to stare. She wished she hadn't followed him out here now. Why did her curious mind make her do foolish things?

"Um, what is it that you want?"

He ignored her query and held up a strange object. It looked like a square, flat piece of board, though it was beautifully decorated with colors and symbols.

"Oh mystics of Fiore, wind, lightning. Mages of Fiore, thy divinity watches over all four corners. Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, thunder, wood, lightning. Whirling blades of lightning answer my call!"

Wendy had listened raptly, half fearful, half fascinated as he went through the litany. But she gave a startled yelp as a blue beam shot out of the board and aimed right for her chest. It had a tingling, sizzling sensation that she didn't quite like.

"Just as I thought!" he exclaimed. "You have Fiore Cards in your possession!"

His words struck Wendy like a punch in the stomach.

"How – how did you know…"

"This compass was created to search for Fiore Cards," he said impatiently. "Hand them over."

"What?"

"The Fiore Cards," he enunciated, his tone brisk and efficient. He paid no attention to the stupefied expression on her face.

"I can't!" she protested. "I promised Happy that I would collect all the Cards."

He looked puzzled for a moment.

"Happy… _the_ Happy? The Beast of the Seal?"

"You know him?"

"If Happy is around, why is it letting such a child hold onto the Cards?" Wendy flushed at his condescending tone, even though he was no older than she was.

"Happy doesn't have enough magic power to be bigger. That's why - "

"The symbol for Happy is the Sun. It rules over fire and earth. You don't have either of those Cards?"

"No…"

"How long have you been searching?"

"Since, um, April." He gave her an incredulous look.

"You've been searching for two months, and you still haven't gotten them all?" She wilted a little and clutched at the fence for support.

"That's right – but, how do you know about the Fiore Cards?"

"That's none of your business," he sniffed. "I'll look for the rest. Now hand them over!"

His persistence was starting to frighten Wendy and she backed away, instinctively covering her pocket with one hand.

"I can't do that. It's something I promised Happy - "

"I get it," he said thoughtfully to himself. "They're in that pocket." Next thing she knew he was almost on top of her, groping at her skirt pocket and snarling at her meows of protest.

"Wendy?" Chelia was unable to find her friend anywhere and at last decided to peek around the corner. She was shocked at the scene that greeted her eyes. It looked as though Romeo was trying to attack Wendy. "Wendy!"

"Give them to me!" he barked.

"I can't!" She cried out, struggling within his grip. _Someone help me!_

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

The skylines of Fiore were clear and blue. Some people were going about their day, happily working or chatting amongst themselves.

Suddenly, the sky grew darker and lightening crackled in the sky. The people fled in terror, lightening striking in the most random places. From atop of the Kardia Cathedral, a man with blond hair stood. On his face, a lightening shaped scar shone brightly. He was smirking, feeling the power permeate around the area.

""I can feel the Cardcaptor around here. Well the sky ain't big enough for two dragons."

* * *

**And that's the end of this chapter! Next time: Combine your powers! Sky Dragoness and Flaming Knight vs. the Lightening Dragon!**

**See ya around! Reviews are appraised and delighted, but favorites and follows are too!**


	17. Chapter 8 Part 2

**Hello readers!**

**Haven't updated in a while, but I have finally found this story. Yay! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Let's pick up where we left off.**

**Sky Dragoness and Flaming Knight vs. the Lightening Dragon! **

_**Previously on Cardcaptor Wendy…**_

_Wendy's new classmate Romeo Conbalt knows about her secret as a Cardcaptor. He was sent to her school to find the Fiore Cards and to finish her task! Can Wendy keep her job safe or will Romeo take her out of business?_

_Also what the heck is the Lightning Card doing?_

_**And now, back to our story…**_

"Give them to me!" he barked.

"I can't!

"Hey!" It was a new voice, and menacing enough for Romeo to look up. Natsu was vaulting over the fence that separated their schools and advancing upon him wrathfully. "What the hell are you doing to my little sister?"

Romeo made an annoyed noise in the back of his throat and pushed himself away from Wendy to face this new threat. Natsu was the second tallest boy in high school and towered over Romeo, but that obviously didn't concern the younger boy as he raised his fists and prepared for combat. Wendy whimpered as she realized Natsu was raising his fists too, and that he intended to fight Romeo. That couldn't happen – Romeo-kun obviously had access to mysterious powers, he might hurt her brother. But how could she stop them?

"Are you all right, Wendy?" Chelia was at her side already, squeezing her in comfort.

"I'm all right. But Natsu…"

Natsu was furious as he glared at this little brat that had decided to attack his sister. He didn't care who he was or where he was from, he just wanted him gone. The boy was positioning himself in an unusual posture, which distracted Natsu for a moment. It was one he hadn't seen before.

Then he shook his head and narrowed his eyes. It didn't matter. Either way, this kid was history.

"Hey, they had some!" The cheerful voice seemed out of place in the tense atmosphere, and everyone looked over at Jellal scrambling over the fence. "They had strawberry cheesecake!"

"Jellal?"

"They had some left at the cafeteria," Jellal informed him joyfully. "They also had chocolate cake, vanilla cake…would everyone like some? I have five of them."

The spell was broken. Natsu straightened and relaxed, leaving Romeo a trifle nonplussed. Wendy extended a hesitant hand when she saw Jellal looking her way.

"Hey." Everyone took one, and then Jellal turned to Romeo, beaming.

"Here. Cake?"

The sudden shift from hostility to cheer was too much. Romeo took a step backward, and then, inexplicably, reddened as Jellal continued to smile in his direction. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and bolted, tripping and falling and scrambling through the school's vegetable plots before finally disappearing around the building. Wendy exhaled with relief, though she could see her brother was still glaring after him angrily.

_What in the world is he?_

* * *

Together Chelia and Wendy wandered past the park, discussing the events of that morning.

"Have you asked Happy about the new transfer student?"

"No. I tried calling, but he isn't answering. Happy is in a good mood after he wakes up, but once he goes to sleep he never ever wakes up until a certain time."

"That's very like Happy."

Their conversation was cut short by a violent crash of thunder. Wendy had been so involved in her thoughts; she hadn't even noticed the dark clouds building overhead.

"Thunder? Perhaps a passing storm?" Anxiously Chelia pulled on her hand and they scrambled for the giant penguin slide.

"We can get some shelter here." Gratefully they ducked under, but after a moment Sakura held her hand out under the arch.

"Hey, it's not raining."

It was true, the air was mysteriously dry. To Wendy it seemed almost expectant. Together the two of them watched more lightning dance across the clouds, then zoom right towards them and connect with the nearest lamppost. Wendy could smell the burning ozone as she heard it sizzle, then to her amazement, the lightbulb flickered on. Again and again the lightning struck the lampposts around the park, turning every bulb on. It was an eerie spectacle, but nothing prepared them for the lightning then took the form of a man across the park. He was sizzling with lightning dancing around him. His blond hair was bright yellow as it matched his eyes.

"Cardcaptor…" He said aloud. "I know you're here! If you know what's good for ya, you meet me for a duel tonight. Don't try any funny business or I'll send this whole place up in sparks." With that, he disappeared with a loud crack!

And then the clouds melted away, leaving only blue sky.

* * *

"Romeo Conbalt? He's probably from the Conbalt clan, then."

"Conbalt clan?" Wendy had returned home after her encounter with the Lightning Card. She and Happy were discussing the new exchange student over some tea.

"My master Mavis Vermillion had parents, but no one knew who they were. So much of Mavis' magic is a combination of western and eastern magic. For instance, the magic circles you use have Fiorean and Alvarez characters, right?"

She hadn't paid much attention before, but she realized that he was right, and nodded.

"The magic you are using now, Wendy, is the magic that Mavis created. Ancient magic that gets handed down over the years is usable by anyone, up to a certain extent, as long as the user takes the right steps and keeps all the promises. However, the only people who can create brand-new magic are just a few wizards in this world."

"Mavis was really an amazing person," Mavis remarked, impressed.

"Well, she herself had lots of problems, but - "

"Problems?"

"Oh, nothing. And the Conbalt clan is from Fiore. Apparently, they were a famous family of wizards from Magnolia."

"You could say he is a distant, distant relative of Mavis. I heard rumors that the Conbalt clan had moved to Hargeon. I guess it was true."

"Really?" Wendy looked dismayed. "Then, it would have been better for me to give him all the Cards?"

"That's not true," Happy said hastily. "Wendy, you were the one that opened this book and awakened me. I told you the first time I met you, there was a seal placed on this book, and only someone with quite a bit of magic can manage to open it." He was opening her drawer as he spoke and holding the heavy book aloft, demonstrating. "So that means that you, Wendy, have the qualifications to use these Cards. And these Cards already have your name written on them, Wendy. You are the owner of these Cards."

There was no room for argument in his firm tone, and she smiled as the few Cards she'd collected floated in the air in a circle around her. It seemed as though they were trying to agree with Happy.

The lesson was cut short as the cell phone in her bookbag rang. Wendy hurried to pick it up.

"Yes."

"Wendy?"

"Chelia!"

"The sky…" Her friend's voice sounded unusually subdued. "Take a look at the sky!"

Wendy pulled back her curtain and was suddenly reminded of the other strange event that day. The clouds had returned, and seemed twice as dark and menacing as before.

"Yes, I see it. It looks just like a little while ago."

And that meant she had work to do.

* * *

_I keep thinking she'll hit rock bottom_, Wendy thought despairingly, as she fidgeted and tried not to squeak too much. But this is too outlandish for words. The whole outfit mainly consist of pink and black with 3 yellow bell's attached on the costume. The costume is designed in a rubbery fabric to prevent electrocution and is also designed to be easy to move in. It is made up of a pink skirt, vest and a black bodysuit. The skirt/vest is short, frilly and colorful. The skirt is very cylindrical and remains in the same shape no matter what Wendy does. The top part of the vest joins with the sleeves and the vest looks slightly like that of an apron. Attached to the top part of the vest and part of the body suit, is a bell. The black body suit extends from the top of Wendy's torso to the boots. At the back of the vest, just above the skirt, on Wendy's waist is a pink bow with long tails and a bell attached on each tail. Also attached to the skirt is a slender black cat tail. Wendy's boots are mid-calf length and the top half of the boot is light pink and the lower part of the boot is black. There are also buttons on the side of the boots.

"Since it involves lightning today," Chelia lectured enthusiastically, "I made everything out of rubber, so you won't be conducting electricity."

Pink rubber. Wendy pulled at the full skirt and wondered where on earth Chelia had found so much pink rubber. Then she fingered the little bell around her neck.

"And the bell?"

"That's made out of an insulator as well." Happy was examining the pink and pointed ears on Wendy's headband. He also seemed stunned with disbelief.

"Why a cat?"

"Because it looks cute," Chelia answered, as if it were obvious. Another streak of lightning danced across the sky, brighter and more vivid than it had been before. With a flash of light, the strange man appeared in on top of one of the buildings.

"It's the Thunder Card, Laxus!" Happy exclaimed.

"It looks like a formidable opponent. Fly!" She struck the Card and lifted off into the air, Chelia tracking her studiously with the camera.

"That guy you mentioned earlier," Happy mused by her side as they flew upwards. "You said he had a compass?"

"Yeah. It was a like a board that had lots of stuff like letters scrawled onto it."

"Mavis had said that she left the compass with her friend's family. All right, that kid might come over after he senses Thunder. Let's capture that Card before he gets here."

"I'll do my best." The words had barely left her mouth when Laxus shot a lightning bolt at them. Wendy narrowly avoided the attack and landed on the ground.

"How can I turn him back into a Card?"

"We have to fight him."

"Fight him, are you nuts?!" she repeated. Kero was about to elaborate when he realized the Card was heading for them again.

"Here he comes!"

"Come on Cardcaptor! I thought you would give me a real fight! Where's your fighting spirit?" Laxus taunted. He shot more lightning at the pair.

"Jump!" Wendy struck the card and leapt clear just in time. The lightning followed as she bounced from rooftop to rooftop, playing havoc with each building's electricity grid. At last Wendy found herself perched on the roof of the school clock tower. "But how can I fight such a powerful card?"

"Thunder really is - "

"You don't even know how?" asked a scornful voice, and both glanced over to the school rooftop nearby. He was there, dressed in some very familiar green robes and holding his sword out in defense.

"Romeo?"

He ignored her as he invoked some higher power.

"Thunder god, answer my call." Raising his sword, he aimed it right for the sizzling Card, and was rewarded with a burst of lightning from his own weapon. The two streaks of fire crashed together with a crackle, and then Laxus fell to the ground. Quickly Romeo followed suit, leaping down the building with ease until he stood on the steps near the injured Card.

"Just like the dream," Wendy said to herself. She should have realized, of course.

The Card getting up from its positon, and she hurried to Romeo's side. Laxus wiped some blood from his cheek as he cackled loudly.

"You brats! I'll show you what happens when you mess with the Lightning Dragon!" He started to glow bright as scales appeared on his body.

"You catch Thunder after you change it into its lightning-dragon form! You didn't even know that?" Happy bristled at the boy's tone.

"I was about to explain that." The card was now covered in yellow scales as lightning danced off his body.

"Baka," Romeo snapped, not even looking her way. "You can't fight Thunder with Windy!" Wendy gulped and lowered the Card before she struck it with her staff. How had he known?

"But, I've caught some Cards by holding them down with Windy…"

"I've been in Fiore long enough," Happy muttered to himself. "I can forgive 'idiot', but not baka!"

"Do you have the Shadow Card?" Romeo continued, casually disregarding the predator coming their way.

"Yeah."

"All right." He raised his sword again. Thunder had almost reached them. "Petals of wind, answer my call." He gave a vicious jab in the air, and Thunder was blown off its feet by the sudden gust of wind. "Now!"

"Shadow!" She'd been surprised, but she reacted quickly, and watched the dark cloak of Shadow race forward to envelop the blinding whiteness of Thunder. Li was right; this had been the best Card to use. She was glad of it, but a little chagrined that she hadn't thought of it herself.

"Return to the guise you were meant to be in. Fiore Card!"

At last, Thunder admitted defeat and dissipated into a swirl of white magic. The Card materialized and floated toward her hand.

"So that's the Sealing Staff," Romeo appraised, looking at the object in her hands with interest. "But you really don't know anything, do you?"

"Hey, don't ask for the impossible." Happy rushed to Wendy's defense. "It hasn't been that long since Wendy started collecting the Cards!"

For the first time, Romeo took a good look at Happy, and an expression of distaste crossed his face.

"What the hell is that?"

"That's Happy," Wendy supplied, and his mouth fell open.

"What? This is Happy, Beast of the Seal? The strongest guardian beast with the green eyes…" he pointed at Happy's round face in disbelief, "is this stuffed animal?"

Annoyed, Happy clamped his teeth down hard on Romeo's finger.

"Ouch!"

"Happy!" Wendy reprimanded. Romeo waved his hand in the air, and it was a moment before he could dislodge the little beast. Both retreated away from each other, sulking.

"In any case, collecting Fiore Cards is impossible considering your measly powers." He cast one more disdainful eye over her colorful costume, then turned and stalked away. He passed Chelia without saying a word, and she skirted nervously around him before running up to her friend.

"Wendy, are you hurt anywhere?"

There was no reply. Wendy had another captured Card in her hand, another success, but for some reason she wasn't feeling so good about it this night. The staff dangled from her hand as she stared listlessly at the pavement.

_Everything is different,_ she thought. _He's changed it all._

"Wendy?" Chelia said, waving her hand in front of her face.

_It will never be the same again._

* * *

**What happens now that Romeo is here? Find out in our next chapter!**

**Next time: Double Edged Sword! Wendy and the Mysterious Brooch!**

**Reviews are welcomed! Favorites and Follows are helpful! **


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